Reflection and the Ray Model of Light
Reflection and its Importance The Role of Light to Sight The bottom line is: without light, there would be no sight. The visual ability of humans and other animals is…
Other Applications of Two-Point Source Interference
As is often the case, physics is not a science that is restricted to the sterile confines of a laboratory. Physics is naturally and frequently seen by any observer who…
Young’s Experiment
The previous section of Lesson 3 discussed Thomas Young's effort to derive an equation relating the wavelength of a light source to reliably measured distances associated with a two-point source…
Young’s Equation
Previously in Lesson 3 we have seen how circular waves from two sources can interfere in the surrounding space to produce a pattern of antinodes and nodes. The nodal positions are…
The Path Difference
Two-point source interference occurs when waves from one source meet up with waves from another source. If the source of waves produces circular waves, then the circular wavefronts will meet within the…
Mathematics of Two-Point Source Interference
Anatomy of a Two-Point Source Interference Pattern This unit of The Physics Classroom Tutorial focused on the nature of light as a wave. Evidence that led scientists to believe that…
Blue Skies and Red Sunsets
The sun emits light waves with a range of frequencies. Some of these frequencies fall within the visible light spectrum and thus are detectable by the human eye. Since sunlight consists of…
Color Subtraction
The previous lesson focused on the principles of color addition. These principles govern the perceived color resulting from the mixing of different colors of light. Principles of color addition have…
Color Addition
Color perception, like sound perception, is a complex subject involving the disciplines of psychology, physiology, biology, chemistry and physics. When you look at an object and perceive a distinct color, you are not…
Light Absorption, Reflection, and Transmission
We have previously learned that visible light waves consist of a continuous range of wavelengths or frequencies. When a light wave with a single frequency strikes an object, a number of things…
