Time/ speed/ in space
True or false: Light always travels in a strait line
False: Light follows the warps and curves of spacetime
True or false: The Earth uses the Sun as a sole energy source
False; we also use geothermal and tidal energy
What do opaque, translucent, and transparent mean?
It means (in an object) the amount of light able to pass through
What are some different behaviours of light?
Reflection, refraction, absorption, and diffraction
Name the three ways I mentioned
Human vision, optical instruments, and photographs
What is particle duality?
Term for light being a particle and a wave
How does the Sun regulate our circadian rhythm?
The Sun regulates our circadian rhythm with lightness and darkness; acts as a clock for our internal clock
Which light wave has a higher frequency: red or violet
Violet has a shorter wavelength
What is reflection?
Reflection is the bouncing off of light on a surface, typically a smooth, polished one.
What do the human vision and photographs have in common? (Hint: control light)
The iris and the diaphragm both expand and contract to let in the optimal amount of light
What is time dilation?
As an object approaches the speed of light, the time it experiences slows relative to a stationary observer
What type of reaction is bioluminescence?
Enzymatic
What things are polarization used for
Things like sunglasses, photography filters, and 3D movies
What is the law of reflection?
The angle of incoming light is the angle of reflection
How do convex lenses work?
They capture rays of light and bend them inward so they meet at a single point
What does this phrase mean: Light from emission is c
It means that light does not speed up or accelerate; it always is the same speed
What does this sentence mean?
Luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin
Simply, this means that an enzyme called luciferase speeds up a chemical reaction where a light-producing molecule called luciferin combines with oxygen
How does polarization work?
Polarization is the act of restricting oscillations to a single plane
How are absorption and the quality of being opaque related?
Because the absorbed light is not allowed to pass, the material becomes opaque
How do digital devices form pictures?
Digital cameras work by letting light fall on a digital image sensor that converts the light into electrical signals which are processed and then enhanced by algorithms
What is relativistic mass? (Hint: Why can't mass go to light's speed?)
Relativistic mass is the increased mass of an object when it moves really fast; normally close to the speed of light
Give me an in-depth step-by-step explanation of how photosynthesis works
When a photon bounces into a leaf, the energy excites a chlorophyll molecule. It then starts a process that splits a molecule of water. The plant discards the oxygen because it is not needed. The light reaction has not yet made any sugar. Instead, it supplied energy, stored in ATP and NADPH, which is plugged into a cycle in which sugar is made.
400 nm (violet) and 700 nm (red)
What is diffraction?
The bending and spreading out of waves as they encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow opening
Give me explanation of how light enters our eyes and how it is processed
Light travels through the iris, is focused by the lens onto the retina. photoreceptor cells convert light into electrical signals which travel through the optic nerve into the the brain