Sunday, July 1, 2018

Chapter 13.6 - The Electromagnetic spectrum

In the previous section we saw colour of transparent objects. In this section, we will see the electromagnetic spectrum. We will write the details in steps:

1. We have seen that, the white light is composed of seven colours:
Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red.
2. All these seven coloured lights, travel in the form of waves
3. We have seen some basics about wave motion (Details here)
• The distance between any to consecutive crests is the wave length
4. Consider the red light. The distance between any two consecutive crests of it's wave is approximately 700 nm. 
'nm' stands for nanometer
One nanometer is (1× 10-9) metre
• So we can see that wave length the red light is very small
5. Similarly, wave length of violet is approximately 400 nm
Let us plot these values on a graph. It is shown in fig.13.19(a) below:
Fig.13.19
• 700 nm is marked on the x axis. At that point red colour is shown
• 400 nm is marked on the x axis. At that point violet colour is shown
6. Normally, as we move from left to right on the x axis, the values increase
• But here, the values decreases. Let us see the reason:
• We know that, wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency
• That is., when wave length decreases, frequency increases.
• So if we consider frequency, the values indeed increase when we move from left to right along the x axis in fig.13.19(a) above
7. The other five colours can be arranged in order between red and violet. 
• This is shown in fig.b above 
8. Now two questions arise:
(i) Is there any wave which has 'wave length greater than 700 nm'? 
(ii) Is there any wave which has 'wave length less than 400 nm'? 
9. The answers:
(i) There are indeed waves which have 'wave length greater than 700 nm'
• But human eyes cannot see 'waves with wave lengths greater than 700 nm'
In other words they are 'invisible waves'
• 'Waves with wave lengths ranging from 1 millimetre to 700 nm' are called infrared waves
• Since those wave lengths are greater than 700 nm, we plot them on the left side of red
• This is shown in fig.13.20(a) below. 
(ii) There are indeed waves which have 'wave length less than 400 nm'
• But human eyes cannot see 'waves with wave lengths less than 400 nm'
In other words, just like infra red, these are also 'invisible waves'
• 'Waves with wave lengths ranging from 400 nm to 1 nm' are called ultraviolet waves
• Since those wave lengths are less than 400 nm, we plot them on the right side of violet
• This is shown in fig.13.20(a) below:
Fig.13.20
10. We know that white light comes from the sun
• The two new waves that we saw (infrared and ultraviolet) also come from the sun 
• So we have a group consisting of three items:
(i) infrared waves
(ii) White light waves
(iii) ultraviolet waves 
11. This group is given a special name: solar spectrum
12 If we allow the 'waves from the sun' to pass through a prism, they will undergo refraction
The components will thus get separated from each other
• But we are not able to see the infrared and ultraviolet waves
• We can see only the seven colours
• So these seven colours together is known as visible spectrum
13. In the fig.13.20(a), the seven colours are shown distinct from each other. This is for a better understanding only.  
• In the actual case, there is a 'gradual gradation' from one colour to the next. An example is shown in fig.13.20(b).  
• The red colour at the extreme left gradually merges into the next colour orange. 
• We can see that the red colour is fading as we move to the right.
• As we move to the right, it becomes more and more orange.
• This indicates that, the wavelength of the red light is not the same everywhere.  
• As we move to the right, the wavelength also decreases.
• Indeed experiments indicate that wavelength of red light varies from 700 to 620 nm
■ Some features of infrared waves:
• When objects are heated, the molecules in them vibrate. Those vibrating molecules emit heat in the form of infrared waves. We cannot see those waves. But we can feel it
• The heat from the sun reaches us in the form of infrared waves
• Infrared waves are used in remote controls and night vision cameras 
■ Some features of visible light:
• Causes sense of vision
• Helps to produce energy by photosynthesis
• Used in solar cells 
■ Some features of ultraviolet waves:
• Exposure to UV rays can cause skin cancer. 
• It can also affect our vision.  
• The UV rays from the sun is absorbed by the ozone layer.  So most of the UV rays do not reach the earth.  
• UV rays in suitable doses can help to produce vitamin D in the skin
14. We have seen that the visible spectrum is a part of the solar spectrum. This is clear from fig.13.20(a) above.
• Now two questions arise:
(i) Is there any wave which has 'wave length greater than 1 mm'? 
(ii) Is there any wave which has 'wave length less than 1 nm'? 
15. The answers:
(i) There are indeed waves which have 'wave length greater than 1 mm' 
• 'Waves with wave lengths ranging from 0.1 m to 1 mm' are called microwaves
• 'Waves with wave lengths greater than 0.1 m are called radiowaves
• Since those wave lengths are greater than 1 mm, we plot them on the left side of infrared
• This is shown in fig.13.21 below.
(ii) There are indeed waves which have 'wave length less than 1 nm' 
• 'Waves with wave lengths ranging from 1 nm to 10-3 nm' are called X-rays
• 'Waves with wave lengths less than 10-3 nm are called Gamma rays
• Since those wave lengths are less than 1 nm, we plot them on the right side of ultraviolet
• This is shown in fig.13.21 below:
Fig.13.21
■ Some features of radio waves:
• Used for very high frequency radio transmission
• Used for Ultra high frequency television transmission
■ Some features of microwaves:
• Used in radar and mobile phone
• Used in microwave oven
■ Some features of x-rays:
• Penetrate through flesh
•  Helps to detect defects of bones breakage of pipes in industries etc
•  Dissociates DNA . Hence excessive exposure causes cancer
■ Some features of gamma rays:
•  Causes damage to living cells
•  Comes out in large quantities during nuclear fission
•  Used in cancer treatment
•  Useful in sterilizing surgical instruments
■ The waves ranging from radio waves to gamma rays is called electromagnetic spectrum  

In the next section, we will see scattering of light.

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