Zusammenfassung der Ressource
12.1 - The nature of EM waves
- G.1.1 - EM radiation
- Radio waves - created by passing alternated
current through a wire
- Light wave - created from the electrons in an
atom as they drop from high energy level to
low
- High-frequency waves (UV-light, x-rays,
gamma-rays) - created by the nucleus of
atoms
- G.1.2 EM Spectrum
- Radio waves - Alternating current in an electrical circuit
- Frequency: 10^8 - 10^9
- Used in communications
- Microwaves - oscilliations of electrons in vacuum
- Used in heating
food due to
microwaves having
a frequency similar
to that of water
molcules
- Frequency: 10^9 - 10^11
- Infrared - energy released by atoms that give up heat
- Frequency: 10^13 - 10^14
- Used in TV remote controls,
optical insutrments
- Visible light - photons released by electrons de-exciting
- Frequency: 10^15
- Voilet: 380-450 nm
- Blue: 450-495 nm
- Green: 495-570 nm
- Yellow: 570-590 nm
- Orange: 590-620 nm
- Red: 620-750 nm
- G.1.3 - Dispersion
- The angle of refraction is dependent on
the wavelength of the radiation
- This means that light of different wavelengths
(coulours) does not bend equally
much; as white light passes through a
prism the blue light is bent more than
the red light etc., and you will have a
pretty rainbow!
- G.1.5 - Physical properties of EM radiation
- Transmission- when a wave does
not have the correct frequency to
interact with the atoms of a
substance, the energy is sent away
again, it is transmitted.
- Absorption- when a wave
does have the right
frequency to interact with
atoms of a substance, it
gives energy to the electrons
and excites them. The
electrons has thus absorbed
the energy.
- Scattering- when a wave is
forced to change direction due to
small particles of e.g. water is in
the way. The wave is sent off in a
different direction, and is thus
scattered.
- G.1.7 - Lasers
- Monochromatic light- light in which
all photos have the same wavelength
and therefore the same colour. This is
why lasers always come in one colour
only; the light is monochromatic
- Coherent light- light in which all
photons are released in the same
direction and in phase. This is why
lasers are beams of intense light
and not, for example, a light bulb.
- Both are needed
in lasers!
- Creating a laser
- Population inversion is when a
flash of light excites atoms,
so there are more atoms
withing the tube that are
excited than are not. The
atoms get de-excited, so
they release photons in a
random direction within the
tube. When one of these
photons pass by still excited
photos they de-excite them
too, in a sort of chain
reaction that amplifies the
light.
- Uses of lasers
- - Some fancy outlining of a use of lasers.