The light surrounds us everywhere, and we can see, feel and touch it, but we still have not been able to define it.
So why is a particular wavelength of the light prescribed for a particular application? If you know what the study and analysis of light according to its component wavelengths is called, you will have the answer.
This study is beneficial in different fields. It is also helpful to know about light more practically. Let’s see!
Table of contents
What Is The Study And Analysis Of Light According To Its Component Wavelengths Called?
According to its component wavelengths, the study & analysis of light is known as spectroscopy. For detail, spectroscopy is the study and investigation of light’s electromagnetic spectrum.
Spectroscopists measure and classify light that is categorized into different sections – which contain unique properties related to color, production, distribution, and application.
Also, it has different frequencies associated with electromagnetic radiation. Distinct wavelengths of electromagnetic waves have different colors.
Some of these shades can be seen individually with the naked eye, and the color range that we can see is known as the visible spectrum.
For instance, electromagnetic waves of 700–635 nm wavelengths appear to the human eye as red light, while 560–520 nm wavelengths appear green.
What Is Light & Its Components?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that refers to the electromagnetic fields associated with light energy.
It may be defined as a flow of “wave-packets”, known as photons, that travel at the speed of light (about 300.000 km per second). On the other hand, electromagnetic waves, radiation, and photons are all forms of “light”.
Regular people see light in terms of brightness and color, while physicists view light differently. They use the terms intensity and wavelength to describe it. We can all agree that these two are pretty different.
In other words, light includes wavelength and frequency. Frequency (usually measured in Hertz) is the number of waves that occur in a certain period. The distance between two points in a wave (usually measured in nanometers) is called its wavelength.
How Is The Wavelength Of Light Defined?
A wave is a horizontal distance between two peaks. The wave wavelength of light measures its intensity (in nanometers). In addition, it is commonly represented by λ (omega).
When you think about light in terms of waves, it can also be conceived of time and scale length. It’s the same with water in that it mimics specific energy.
For detail, let’s consider crashing waves, where the crests of each wave reach the shore one after the other. The wavelength represents the distance between successive crests, whereas the frequency is the number of crests that crash into shore per second.
Visible light ranges from 400 to 700 nanometers or 1 billionth of a meter. The exact frequency and energy level of each wave seen as visible by human eyes is what we refer to as the color it appears.
These are the 7 wavelengths from shortest to longest:
- Violet: Shortest wavelength is around 400 to 420 nm, with the highest frequency. They have the most energy.
- Indigo: 420 to 440 nm
- Blue: 440 to 490 nm
- Green: 490 to 570 nm
- Yellow: 570 to 585 nm
- Orange: 585 to 620 nm
- Red: Longest wavelength is around 620 to 780 nm, with the lowest frequency.
What Is The Relationship Between Light Components (Wavelength & Frequency)?
The wavelength & frequency of light is inextricably connected — the greater the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. As a result, wavelength & frequency are inversely proportional.
As Einstein proved, light is a phenomenon made up of electric and magnetic fields. The speed of the electromagnetic waves that comprise it are constant in all conditions – so this means to measure the frequency, you must first measure the wavelength.
The wavelength of electromagnetic waves is dependent on the frequency and their speed ( in a vacuum ). Therefore, the speed, frequency, and wavelength of light can be defined by the equation λν=c.
- λ: the wavelength
- ν: the frequency
- c: the speed of light
Final Thoughts
We’re glad that you learned what the study and analysis of light according to its component wavelengths is called. Again, the answer is known as spectroscopy. To summarize, light is a wave made up of wavelength, frequency, and timbre. These three characteristics define the unique light that we see every day.
