Beyond what we can see

BY KEMBERLEY ORTEGA & JENNIFER GARCIA.

Electromagnetic spectrum and the

relationship between energy

The electromagnetic waves can be described by their

wavelengths, energy and frequency

X-ray or the wavelength of a microwave or the frequency of a

radio wave.

X-rays and gamma-rays are usually described in terms of

energy, optical and infrared light in terms of wavelength, and
radio in terms of frequency.

A radio wave can have an energy of around 4 x 10 -10eV - a

gamma-ray can have an energy of 4 x 109eV. That's an energy
difference of 1019(or ten million trillion) eV!

The frequency is a number of

occurrences of a repeating event per
unit time
It is also refer to as temporal
frequency which contrast with
spatial frequency and angular
frequency.
There are three cyclically flashing
lights from lowest to highest
frequency
F is the frequency in herts

Frequency

Wavelength of light

Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelength is called a

visible light and light

A human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 390 to

70nm

Band in the vicinity of 430-790 THz

The existence of infrared light

In 1800, William Herschel discovered infrared light by

performing an experiment. He passed sunlight through a
prism, and as sunlight passes through the prism, it divides it
into rainbow of colors called a spectrum.

Herschel passed sunlight through a prism. As sunlight passes

through the prism, the prism divides it into a rainbow of
colors called a spectrum. A spectrum contains all of the
colors which make up sunlight.

Herschel was interested in measuring the amount of heat in

each color. To do this he used thermometers with blackened
bulbs and measured the temperature of the different colors of
the spectrum.

Infrared light
Infrared radiation was discovered in 1800 by astronomer Sir William
Herschel, who discovered a type of invisible radiation in the
spectrum lower in energy than red light, by means of its effect upon
a thermometer.

Questions to be answered!

1) What was Herschels original purpose of performing his

experiment?

To measure the amount of heat in each color of visible light.

2) What is the purpose of a control in an experiment?

He design a simple experiment to discover the amount of heat in

each color, he placed thermometers so that they were absorbing
the heat emitted

3) Calculate the frequency of red light with a wavelength of 650mn

C= wavelength x frequency

60mn 1m

10^9

109=
1m

C= 3.00 x 10^8= hf
3 10^8= 650 x 10^9 x F
F= 3 x 10^7 1650 x 10^9
F= 4.51 x 10^14

4) Calculate the frequency of blue light with a wavelength of

475nm ?

475nm

1m

= 4.75 x 10^7 3.00 x 10^8 = F(4.75 x 10^7

10^9nm
5) F= 6.626 x 10 ^34 (4.615)
E= 3.057

F= 6.315
F= 6.626 x 10^ 34 (6.315)
E= 4.184

6) Which has a highest frequency, red light, or blue light?

How are energy, frequency, and

wavelength related?

Electromagnetic waves can be described by their wavelengths,

energy, and frequency. All three of these things describe a
different property of light, yet they are related to each other
mathematically.

2a. Record your observations of

the prism and the effects it has on
light
The effects the prism has on the light is that it makes the

temperature rise or decrease and it makes colors appear in the

white paper.

2b. Herschel coated the bulbs of the thermometers he used

with black powder. What was the
purpose of this

Liquid-in-glass thermometer can be used to measure

atmospheric temperature, semi-solids, or liquids. The main
difference between partial and total immersion thermometers is
the application in which they should be used. If the depth of the
test sample is shallow, a partial immersion thermometer is
usually necessary.

Thermometers manufactured for total immersion indicate an

accurate temperature reading when the thermometer is
immersed to the level of the liquid in the capillary column. To
begin, immerse the thermometer to the top of the liquid column
as the temperature rises or falls adjust the thermometer until an
accurate reading is achieved.

2c. What factors do you need to consider as

you decide how to recreate Herschels
experiment?

The procedure- How to work out everything in the experiment

The materials- Equipment that you need in order to succeed in

the experiment

2d. Which thermometer showed the greatest

difference in temperature?

Both of the thermometers were at the same temperature so we

cant really tell which thermometer showed the greatest
difference in temperature. In different time, the temperature
would change variously. The blue color had high temperature
when starting with the time (1 min-2 min) and then it descend,
then it went up again. The red color started with a higher
temperature than the red color but it then started descending.
The change for both of them were 5 degrees Celsius.

2e. Was is what you expected?

Explain

We didnt expect the temperature to be so equal to each of the

colors because the colors that appeared in the box, the red color
was bright and the blue one was kind of light. Also we expected
the temperatures to be a little higher because of the sun, but it
wasnt so hot and the sun kept going down and coming up.

2f. What problems did you encounter in your

experimental design?

We didnt really know how to make the colors appear. We had

trouble getting the thermometers to stand up towards the colors
that came up in the white paper of the box.

2g. What changes could be made

to improve the results?

A better place where the sun can actually point towards the box
and the colors would be able to be seen.