Properties of Visible Light

Wavelength: Visible light has wavelengths ranging from approximately 380 to 700 nanometers (nm). Different wavelengths correspond to different colors, with shorter wavelengths appearing as violet and longer wavelengths appearing as red.
Speed: In a vacuum, visible light travels at a speed of approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (km/s).
Behavior: Visible light exhibits both wave-like and particle-like properties, known as wave-particle duality.
Interaction: It interacts with matter in various ways, such as reflection, refraction, diffraction, and absorption.

Visible Light and Vision

Visible light is crucial for human vision. When light enters the eye, it passes through the cornea, pupil, lens, and finally reaches the retina, where photoreceptor cells convert the light into electrical signals that are sent to the brain for visual processing.

Applications of Visible Light

Photography: Visible light is used in photography to capture images.
Art and Design: Artists and designers use visible light to create and perceive colors in their work.
Communication: Optical fibers use visible light for high-speed data transmission in telecommunications.

Study Guide

When studying visible light, it's important to understand its properties, behavior, and interaction with matter. Additionally, grasp the significance of visible light in human vision and its various applications in everyday life.

Key concepts to focus on include the electromagnetic spectrum, the colors of visible light, and the role of visible light in optical phenomena such as reflection and refraction.

Practical activities such as conducting experiments with prisms to demonstrate the dispersion of visible light into its component colors can enhance understanding of this topic.