Properties of Light Department of Physics光物理系的性质.pptVIP

Radiation Information from the Cosmos Radiation,Waves, Information Most of the information around us gets to us in waves. Sound energy that travels to our ears is in one form of wave. Information from the Cosmos Until recently, our knowledge of the universe was obtained only by studying the visible light that happened to arrive on Earth. Since the 1930’s, possible to study other types of radiation and particles --- radio waves, X-rays, gamma rays, cosmic rays, neutrinos, and gravitational radiation. To understand the methods used to study the cosmos, we must understand the basic nature and behavior of light. So, what is light? The particle or ray model of light is illustrated by the properties of reflection and refraction. What is a Wave? Wave motion is NOT a mechanical phenomenon because a wave is not a material object but a form. It cannot be assigned a mass, and the concept of acceleration cannot be applied to a wave. The motion of a wave is vastly different from the motion of the medium in which it travels. In fact, a wave can exist without any movement of matter at all! So, what is a wave? It is a pattern or form that moves. It can be a deformation of a material object (music string or waves on the surface of a body of water) OR pattern in a field (light or radio waves). Waves: Standard Dimensions In physics, waves are described by a few standard dimensions. Frequency and Period Wave Speed The speed of some waves depends on the medium through which the wave travels. Sound waves travel at speeds of 330 - 350 m/s in air, and about four times as fast in water. The sp