Light,
simply put, is energy. It is how energy moves through space. Not so
simply put, light is electromagnetic radiation. Visible light, that
we are used to referring to, is only a sliver of the electromagnetic
spectrum. The portion of the spectrum that we can see is
approximately at the center. Below visible light in the spectrum
lies infrared, micro and radio waves which have shorter frequencies.
Above visible light is ultraviolet light, “x” rays and gamma rays
which have higher frequencies. Light
bends the rules of physics by having properties of both a particle
and a wave.
Light can be described as a particle because it can be
represented by a photon, or quantized amount of light energy. How
much energy it contains determines where in the electromagnetic
spectrum it resides. However, Light has other properties that allow
it to be categorized as a wave also.
When
two different notes are played on a piano at the same time, the only
difference between the sounds are the frequencies that the vibrating
strings are producing. The higher the note, the higher the frequency
and the shorter the wave lengths. When observed in this context
light works virtually the same way. The higher the energy
(frequency) inside the photon the highers that photon belongs on the
light spectrum. Different levels of energy, inside a photon, produce
different colors. If this description isn't helpful for you perhaps
this example will: if you turn the light on in the hallway and a
bedroom door is slightly ajar how does the light enter the room? The
light spreads out. Even though the door is only open an inch or two
you can see much more than you would think. If light did not act
like a wave then you would only be able to see an area of equal
proportions to the ajar door. This
is known as diffraction. This phenomenon is what makes light an “X”
factor in the universe.
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