SC/NATS 1870 A

Understanding color

What is light?
(Part Five)
Photon
Diffraction of light

In general, when wave encounters an obstacle or a slit,

diffraction happens.
Diffraction of light is the slight bending of light as it passes
around the edge of an object.
The amount of bending depends on the relative size of the
wavelength of light to the size of the opening.
If the opening is much larger than the light's wavelength, the
bending will be almost unnoticeable. However, if the two are
closer in size or equal, the amount of bending is
considerable, and easily seen with the naked eye.
Videos

• https://youtu.be/1bHipDSHVG4
• https://youtu.be/oYFEWoxuB1I
Dispersion of light

The separation of visible light into its different colors is

known as dispersion.
Visible light, also known as white light, consists of a
collection of different colors. When the white light passes
through the prism, the white light is separated into its colors -
red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.
Dispersion of light (cont.)

What does dispersion happen in the prism?

The index of refraction values n are dependent upon the
frequency of light. For instance for some types of glass,
the n value for frequencies of violet light is 1.53; and
the n value for frequencies of red light is 1.51.
Dispersion of light (cont.)

When white light enters at the first boundary of a triangular

prism, there will be a slight separation of the white light into
the component colors of the spectrum. Upon exiting the
triangular prism at the second boundary, the separation
becomes even greater and the spectrum forms.
Video

• https://youtu.be/Aggi0g67uXM
Polarization of light

A light wave is an electromagnetic wave that produced by

vibrating electric charges.
An electromagnetic wave is a wave that has both an electric
and a magnetic component perpendicular to each other.
Polarization of light (cont.)

The electric and

magnetic vibrations of
an electromagnetic
wave occur in numerous
planes. A light wave that
is vibrating in more than
one plane is referred to
as unpolarized light.
Polarization of light (cont.)

Polarized light waves

are light waves in which
the vibrations occur in a
single plane. It is
possible to transform
unpolarized light
into polarized light.
Polarization of light (cont.)
(2)
There are a variety of
methods of polarizing
light.
The most popular
methods:
1) Transmission (3)
2) Reflection
3) Refraction
(1)
Video

• https://youtu.be/QUvX_AYGRDo
• https://youtu.be/mi-f8kfLHWw