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Physics/Questions Answered by Expert Optics C

SubjectDate Asked
Colors10/11/2010
  Q: ) I'm an undergrad student confused with the difference between emissivity and law of attenuation ...
  A: I think what you call the "law of absorption" is the same thing as the Beer-lambert law. This law ...
question4/18/2010
  Q: iam in the 8th grade from syria. how do electromagnetic waves penetrate our body? thanks alot
  A: Low frequency waves (radio waves) will pass through your body just as in air. Microwaves are very ...
Second Harmonic Generation4/17/2010
  Q: I am a college student studying chemistry and I am doing a project that involves lasers. I have some ...
  A: You pretty much have the right answers. SHG, like many nonlinear effects, is a two-photon effect. ...
Momentum of light3/28/2010
  Q: I've read somewhere that only red light is used in photography because of its low energy which does ...
  A: I assume by "photography" you mean photographic development. Yes, light has a small amount of ...
Fiber Optics3/23/2010
  Q: I do not understand how data can be transferred using fiber optics and light, it is quite puzzling ...
  A: Data is transferred digitally through fiber optics, much as computer data is transferred digitally ...
Pleochroism3/21/2010
  Q: I have recently read two conflicting explanations for pleochroism in minerals placed between crossed ...
  A: I checked the wikepedia entry on this and I see what you mean. I'm sure that both effects contribute ...
energy levels3/2/2010
  Q: I am 38 years old, have studied subjects like biology, English and history at the university level ...
  A: Tue, As an engineer more than a physicist, I rely on the laws of thermodynamics first and think ...
Fiber Optics3/1/2010
  Q: First off it's good to see you on here again. Wasn't sure if you retired from the site. lol. And to ...
  A: I'm not sure of the exact price, but you should be able to turn up surplus fiber for very cheap. My ...
Light2/23/2010
  Q: It is said that solving the Maxwell's equations proved that light is electromagnetic radiation. The ...
  A: There are plenty of other demonstrations that light is a wave, particularly those involving ...
Reversed spectrum2/20/2010
  Q: Why does the spectrum reverse when you look at the light source through a prism? When the light ...
  A: My first instinct was to reject your question, but I'll jump in with reservations. First, asking the ...
Glass slab experiment2/10/2010
  Q: Why a spectrum cannot be received in case of glass slab and only prism ?
  A: A prism bends light proportional to the refractive index of the glass. The refractive index is ...
Light reflection2/9/2010
  Q: Since when we view images from space, we are looking at the past, I was wondering if it might be at ...
  A: Yes, this is certainly possible in theory. In practice, the light from earth spreads our uniformly ...
Light1/28/2010
  Q: How old is light? From what I understand if some one could travel near to the speed of light they ...
  A: OK, I get lazy about specifying the speed of light as being in a vacuum. Light does travel slower as ...
Light1/26/2010
  Q: How old is light? From what I understand if some one could travel near to the speed of light they ...
  A: There are probably many ways to answer your question, but I can respond with a couple of comments: ...
lens1/25/2010
  Q: I am trying to make the cheapest, easiest light lens for creating heat. There are 4 ideas here. ...
  A: I assume you are focusing the sun onto a collector. Upper left is common in this type of ...
Light Refraction1/24/2010
  Q: Why does looking at an object through a semi-curved dish filled with water equate to the same ...
  A: The rectangular dish does not alter the angle of the light from before to after the dish, it just ...
Light and Movement1/22/2010
  Q: It is ok if you do not want to answer this question since it may not directly deal with optics in ...
  A: I'm not sure what kind of budget you have in mind, or even what your mechanical constraints are. In ...
Waves1/21/2010
  Q: How do I find the "curved" distance of a wave if I only know the straight peak to peak length ? ...
  A: This is a math question rather than an optics question. You would have to take the line integral ...
concave mirror1/18/2010
  Q: sir, My brother asked me one question on concave mirror. In his textbook for the proof that focal ...
  A: You are describing the "paraxial approximation," which means that we look only at rays close to the ...
Reversed spectrum1/17/2010
  Q: Why does the spectrum reverse when you look at the light source through a prism? When the light ...
  A: I tried to think about this one for a while, but the reason is clear when you draw the rays in a ...
Manipulating light1/12/2010
  Q: Firstly, about me - I have no scientific background, but I do have an interest in general physics. ...
  A: 1. Other than by interposing physical matter, the only way to bend light is gravity. This effect is ...
the coefficient of friction1/6/2010
  Q: why can the coefficient of static friction be greater than 1? can please explain the physical ...
  A: The coefficient of friction is not a normalized property. A value larger than one simply means that ...
Optics-sprectum1/1/2010
  Q: Is it possible that an atom can radiate frequency of complementary color in hot condition of the ...
  A: The absorption and emission of an atom at a given frequency is the same. When hot, the atom will ...
optics6/28/2008
  Q: my question is that why white light has less energy than voilet light usually given answer is that ...
  A: White light is not an average of all colors, but a superposition of all colors. A superposition does ...
Is 400 nm light high-energy UV?6/26/2008
  Q: In http://www.allexperts.com/user.cgi?m=6&catID=1358&qID=4691552 you said "400 nm is the upper end ...
  A: UVA is an ISO standard band including 400 nm light. The color "violet" is completely unregulated, as ...
An oven consisting of 400 nm lasers -- pros and cons?6/21/2008
  Q: I am thinking of a hypothetical oven for food that has 400 nm lasers only on the top. These lasers ...
  A: Certainly you are correct in your example. However: 1. Most substances are not identically ...
An oven consisting of 400 nm lasers -- pros and cons?6/19/2008
  Q: I am thinking of a hypothetical oven for food that has 400 nm lasers only on the top. These lasers ...
  A: While lasers are well known for high intensity, their total power is very low. In fact, the highest ...
Three Lens System (Thin Lens)6/11/2008
  Q: I have a basic understanding of optics and good algebra skills. I'm trying to determine the ...
  A: Kathleen, When you combine two thin lenses, the equations are straightforward and you are probably ...
prism5/28/2008
  Q: does a hollow prism split white light into its constituent colours?
  A: Sure, just not very much. Passing light through a hollow prism is effectively the same as passing ...
Optics freeware and software5/14/2008
  Q: I have an idea for a possible optics-related invention. Are there freeware or software applications ...
  A: You want a ray-tracing code. There are several of this type available for use in graphics rendering ...
Quantum Gate5/13/2008
  Q: I am 23 years old. I have a high school diploma. No real real college education to speak of. But I ...
  A: There have been some rudimentary applications of quantum operations, including entanglement of up to ...
concave lens5/8/2008
  Q: can in any case a concave form a real image ANSWER: Yes, but only for a virtual object located ...
  A: I assumed you meant a lens in air. Certainly a concave "lens" of lower refractive index than the ...
fibre optics5/3/2008
  Q: can't we send more than one light rays passing through the same optic fibre parallely in such a way ...
  A: Ok, thanks for the useful background information. There is no way to simultaneously transmit ...
fibre optics5/2/2008
  Q: can't we send more than one light rays passing through the same optic fibre parallely in such a way ...
  A: Yes. This is called multiplexing, and there are several ways to do it. The best way is wavelength ...
Light and mirrors4/29/2008
  Q: What would be the effect of having a powerful beam of light caught between two perfectly placed ...
  A: While building up arbitrarily large fields is theoretically possible, the law of conservation of ...
Light and mirrors4/26/2008
  Q: What would be the effect of having a powerful beam of light caught between two perfectly placed ...
  A: The configuration you describe is frequently encountered in optics. It is called an optical cavity ...
Digital Cameras - Optical Equations Apply Equally?4/22/2008
  Q: How wonderful you are continuing to provide this invaluable service! In 2005 you provided me with ...
  A: You are welcome. I've had my ups and downs with the service. You should select 'private' in the ...
Electromagnetism4/20/2008
  Q: I am an amateur physics student and am currently trying to learn the subject with the aim of gaining ...
  A: As described by Maxwell's equations, the oscillation of electrical charge (i.e., by changing ...
physics4/7/2008
  Q: Suppose you are given 3 similar transparent glass cubes. Two of the cubes are made of glass A, while ...
  A: This sounds like a homework question, so I'll give an incomplete answer. You want to figure this ...
Can you SEE black?4/3/2008
  Q: I am a college student, and i do not study physics or anything, but i am intrigued to find out ...
  A: Kimberly, I think the key point here is to distinguish between "seeing" and "perceiving." By your ...
Why does certain colors absorb light differently?3/6/2008
  Q: I am in eighth grade and will try to understand even the most complicated of answers. My question ...
  A: Andy, I'm not sure exactly how to interpret your question, but I will try. Heat and light are two ...
Is an omnidirectional laser possible to design?3/5/2008
  Q: Most lasers give out a unidirectional beam of light. Is it possible to design an omnidirectional ...
  A: I do not think such a thing is possible. Laser light is created by stimulated emission, in which an ...
lasers and photons3/4/2008
  Q: In the output from a laser, can we describe the length of coherence useful for holography or ...
  A: There is certainly value in trying to explain interference using quantum theory, especially because ...
Which laser is hotter -- 400 nm or 700 nm?3/1/2008
  Q: Let's say there are two lasers -- one that is 400 nm and the other 700nm. The only difference ...
  A: You have defined the total power (wattage) of each laser to be identical. Although blue photons are ...
Spectrum2/19/2008
  Q: Is there a way to project a rainbow large enough to cover a wall unlike small simple prisms that ...
  A: James, Certainly. I would use a diffraction grating rather than a prism. By controlling the line ...
Diffused Reflection2/18/2008
  Q: In my physics course at high-school, i learnt that if the roughness of the surface is less than ...
  A: I can start an analogy that has absolutely nothing to do with light: if I place a book onto a rough ...
Shadow w/o object?2/16/2008
  Q: I noticed you are into optics so thought I'd ask a professional so shed some light (sorry) on a ...
  A: Ken, As you suppose, the object casting the shadow must be either close to the cloud or very large. ...
Black body emissions2/14/2008
  Q: I came across another answer you provided to somebody asking about why a solar collector cannot ...
  A: James, Thinking about geometry (collection apertures and magnification) is destracting you from ...
UV light transmittance through water2/13/2008
  Q: What wavelength range of Ultra Violet light does water transmit (UV-A, UV-B, UV-C)? and How much ...
  A: My apologies for a late reply. I have not been getting emails from Allexperts and I thought I was ...
Relativity2/10/2008
  Q: I thought this idea might be of use to someone interested in the speed of light. Situation: Lying ...
  A: Gregory, It is the basic principle of relativity that the speed of light is absolute, irrelevant of ...
Speed of Light1/25/2008
  Q: I am so happy that there is someone who states that he wants to hear questions about light. I have ...
  A: Light is electromagnetic waves. That is, light is an oscillating electric and magnetic field. Light ...
Light1/22/2008
  Q: Why are clouds white? ANSWER: Scatter from particles much smaller than the wavelength of light has ...
  A: Arun, My apologies. I have been having trouble lately with targeting my answers to the level of my ...
Caustic curve1/20/2008
  Q: Please explain what is caustic curve and how is it formed in detail.
  A: I remember this topic being somewhat confusing when first I had to learn it. This is my best shot: ...
Light1/19/2008
  Q: Why are clouds white?
  A: Scatter from particles much smaller than the wavelength of light has a strong spectral dependence. ...
The Universe and the Neuorns1/12/2008
  Q: I am a researcher looking into science and religion and during my studies I have found out that ...
  A: In my opinion, our visual and cognitive systems are finely attuned to recognizing patterns, even ...
Electronmicroscope1/11/2008
  Q: How does an electron microscope turn a wavelength into a black and white image? Where does the ...
  A: An electron microscope does not use light at all. Rather, a beam of electrons is directed onto the ...
Physics1/9/2008
  Q: Why does ordinary light gets dispersed whereas laser light doesn't?
  A: Padma, I saw your comments. Please note that I get questions from school kids, retirees, physics ...
optics1/7/2008
  Q: sir can you explain me why does sun appear oval and bigger in size during sun set and sun rise. I ...
  A: John, This seems like a reasonable description of the oval sun: ...
Reflection angle near the speed of light12/19/2007
  Q: If a mirror reflecting a beam of light at a 45º angle is sped up to 90% the speed of light in the ...
  A: Yes: To the stationary observer, the mirror will appear to compress along the direction of motion, ...
Street lights12/13/2007
  Q: I would like to know why all the street and highway lights are given the yellow color and not ...
  A: These are low-pressure sodium lamps. Because they are very efficient, they are the cheapest option ...
wet clothes12/10/2007
  Q: i was wondering why is it that when clothes get wet they look darker?
  A: Sophie, I've been thinking about this one for a day now, and I think I have a good answer. This ...
Why are magnetic field lines always depicted as pointing from north to south?11/18/2007
  Q: Southern magnetic energy is emitted from the side of a magnet taking in the lines of force. Northern ...
  A: The analogy between elecrons and "magnetons" is misleading, as there is no such thing as magnetic ...
quantum behaviour of light11/17/2007
  Q: I am 14 and I am studying in class X (equivalent 'o' level). Can you explain why light reflects or ...
  A: Waqar, When light travels through a medium, it causes vibrations in atoms and molecules. Because of ...
microscope11/9/2007
  Q: why the objective lens of microscope has short focal length and not a long one?
  A: The optics of a microscope are shown here: http://web.uvic.ca/ail/techniques/scope_basics.html The ...
optics11/6/2007
  Q: How much is the linear absorption coefficient of normal glass for light?
  A: Your question is too general to give a single answer. There are many types of glass and the ...
Polarization and Holograms10/22/2007
  Q: I am doing research for a science fair project. I ran across the Idea of polarization researching ...
  A: Zakyia, Holograms are simply a device for encoding a higher-dimensional information into a ...
Optical Fibres10/18/2007
  Q: My question is about how long it takes for a ray of light, that is just totally internally ...
  A: I use the equation for critical angle, theta_cr: sin(theta_cr) = n_cl/n_co n_cl = clad refractive ...
Night phenomena10/12/2007
  Q: I was wondering if there is anything the eye is blind to during the day that it can see after dark? ...
  A: The eye is very insensitive to color in low light conditions. Therefore, one could easily make the ...
light/prisms10/11/2007
  Q: "Clear," light into it's three primary colors (red Yellow blue). My question is this: are the ...
  A: Pete, White light is nothing more than the superposition of light of many colors (the color of ...
Light10/10/2007
  Q: Which of the following locations requires the highest illuminance? A. a residential stairway B. a ...
  A: For legal, design, and other reasons, there are published standards for illumination levels in ...
Light10/5/2007
  Q: Which of the following locations requires the highest illuminance? A. a residential stairway B. a ...
  A: You would have to give me some more information to make a decision. Are you talking about standards ...
Galvanized Steel Pipes As Convex Mirrors?10/4/2007
  Q: An artist has submitted plans showing 10-ft diameter galvanized steel pipes to be laid horizontally, ...
  A: I think your concern is justified, but the problem is also readily mitigated. There will be strong ...
Prisims10/1/2007
  Q: When light enters a prism it diffracts into its seven colors because of the different wavelengths of ...
  A: When light enters a clear material, the angle it bends is given by Snell's law, which you can find ...
Energy of an electromagnetic wave?9/10/2007
  Q: I am a college student and these days we were taught about EM waves. Now I know that the instant ...
  A: The true form of the energy is E X B, where E and B are vector electric and magnetic fields and "X" ...
Near/Far Holograms8/31/2007
  Q: I was wondering if there is a kind of hologram that revolves through images based on your distance ...
  A: Holograms whose reconstructed image depends on distance do exist, but they are fairly complex. Your ...
INSTRUMENTATION8/29/2007
  Q: 1.WHAT IS SPECTRUM ANALYZER? 2.WHAT IS NETWORK ANALYZER? 3.WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECTRUM ...
  A: These pages offer a lot of information and many useful links about network and spectrum analyzers: ...
Filters of light8/24/2007
  Q: If we can filter out certain color and UV wavelengths, is it possible to 'snapshot' higher frequency ...
  A: I can interpret what you are describing in tow ways. The first is "aiasing," that is, the effect ...
Alternative EM radiation absorption avenues8/11/2007
  Q: a known scientist stated that we are constantly being bombarded by solar UV and Gamma rays. Lead is ...
  A: Water is highly transparent to UV A, B, and C light, to the extent that water light guides are often ...
Diffraction and Holography8/10/2007
  Q: I understand that transmission holographs redirect photons from the reference beam to follow vectors ...
  A: You should look at the Huygens–Fresnel principle of diffraction. You can think of the plate as a ...
sight & speed of light8/6/2007
  Q: If we are always seeing in the past, if we could see at the speed of light, would we be seeing into ...
  A: Sue, I am intrigued by the concept of "seeing at the speed of light." Do you mean that you are ...
Air traffic / Fm interference7/29/2007
  Q: I live about 10 km from the Indianapolis airport on the approach to runway 32. I occasionally ...
  A: Mike, I'm not the best person to ask, but here's a shot. It looks like air traffic frequencies are ...
dispersion7/9/2007
  Q: can dispersion of white light take place when light is incident on a hollow prism? If not why? pleae ...
  A: Sure, just not very much. Passing light through a hollow prism is effectively the same as passing ...
Visibility7/6/2007
  Q: I was wondering if there is anyway to see through fog? I was thinking this on the way home from work ...
  A: Other portions of the light spectrum, including terahertz (THz), millimeter, and radio frequency ...
physics for living7/3/2007
  Q: I'm wondering if you can name some great books on physics for non-physicists. There are two types ...
  A: I read a decent amount of science and physics nonfiction, but I tend to read more philosophical ...
prism6/27/2007
  Q: Hey I am a land surveyor and we use an instrument that shoots infrared into a prism and the prism ...
  A: The prism is called a corner cube retroreflector. If you had a cube of glass, you get a corner ...
EM waves6/15/2007
  Q: hell sir im 20 year old n doin my graduation in physics. i hav few questions regarding EM waves how ...
  A: EM radiation emitted by the sun is formed many ways, including blackbody radiation and radiation ...
Best Position to Place Color Filter6/14/2007
  Q: Hope all is well. A question on the best position for placing a color filter in a home made camera. ...
  A: Usuff, Placing the stop away from the intended location has two detrimental effects: 1. ...
Lab Scenario6/13/2007
  Q: I'm 16 and in a lab physics course. Suppose you placed a cubic contained of water and scattering ...
  A: You have inserted a Rayleigh scattering medium in the light beam. There will be no polarization ...
Best Position to Place Color Filter6/11/2007
  Q: Hope all is well. A question on the best position for placing a color filter in a home made camera. ...
  A: You want to put the filter as close as possible to the lens stop. The reason is that the light is ...
lens6/6/2007
  Q: my name is john im 17 years old n a physics student this is regarding the experiment i did to find ...
  A: Lenses create an image of the object (the needle, in this case) on the other side of the lens. The ...
intensity6/1/2007
  Q: How are you? Very well I hope... I'm actually struggling with an optics question that I hope you ...
  A: Mutual coherence is the fourier transform of the source intensity distribution. Unfortunately, I ...
Invention of the Laser5/23/2007
  Q: I am researching the "inventor of the laser" and have stumbled upon the Gould vs. Bell Labs ...
  A: As with many inventions involving both physics and engineering, the credit for inventing the laser ...
Heat transfer from very hot surfaces to surrounding structures5/20/2007
  Q: I am 36, have a BSc and honours in medical sciences and a limited understanding of physics and ...
  A: 400 C is pretty tough for most plastic materials. Most will deflect at much lower temperatures, so ...
light5/10/2007
  Q: While deriving the formulae for the focal length of lenses,we consider signs(+/-). But why then do ...
  A: I apologize for the delay. Questions have not been getting through to my email account. When ...
Best surface for judging focus5/6/2007
  Q: Trust all is well. I throw a focussed moving beam of light (from a tungsten filament bulb) onto ...
  A: All is well. I am having a problem with allexperts, though. It seems that none of their emails are ...
Lightning balls5/2/2007
  Q: What makes those "lightning ball" toys you can get in science stores work? And also can you make ...
  A: James, There are many terms for the device you describe, but "plasma globe" is one of the most ...
holography4/25/2007
  Q: Why the inverse picture of an objec appears in holographic photos in addition to the main direct ...
  A: Note that not all holograms have inverse images. You are describing holograms made by the ...
Neutron-light interaction?4/22/2007
  Q: I've been taught that electrons oscillate when light is incident on them.They oscillate in the ...
  A: Neutrons have a weak interaction with EM fields (light) because of their constituent, charged ...
car windows and polarized sunglasses4/20/2007
  Q: Curtis - I wanted to ask a further question, but you were unavailable, so I asked Scott Valentine. ...
  A: The patterns you see are caused by thermal contraction during the cooling of the glass after it is ...
patterns in glass of car windows when viewed through polarized sun glasses4/17/2007
  Q: When viewing car windows through polarized sun glasses, patterns in the glass appear. Is this due ...
  A: I have a pair of polarized sunglasses and I have observed this effect many times. There is more ...
First Surface Mirrors – Differences in “Quality”?4/5/2007
  Q: How are you? A question on first surface mirrors - are there any differences between the various ...
  A: I'm very good, but busy. Highreflective does not provide enough information to verify how well ...
Lenses4/4/2007
  Q: I was wondering about a question that came up in class the other day - there was a two lens system. ...
  A: You have handled the first lens fine, so I will address only the second lens as an independent ...
receivers3/17/2007
  Q: What do the terms homodyne receiver, heterodyne receiver, intradyne receiver stand for? (please ...
  A: Heterodyne and homodyne are two basic classes of nonlinear frequency downconverters. The former uses ...
Polarization3/11/2007
  Q: Wow, a light specialist. You seem to be the one that I need to talk to. Getting to the matter, I ...
  A: Kaleb, Sorry for the late reply. I can't exactly tell from your sky description whether your ...
don't know who else to ask!3/4/2007
  Q: Since you asked, I graduated from high school last year and didn't do very well in physics... my ...
  A: There is an excellent discussion of this topic on this web page: ...
Colour - wavelength or frequency?2/23/2007
  Q: What is the colour of light a characteristic of ; the wavelength of the wave ,or its frequency? I ...
  A: Light waves are an oscillating electromagnetic field. The most characteristic property of light is ...
Laser Projectors2/17/2007
  Q: You gave reference to this website: http://www.laserfx.com/Works/Works3.html This looks like the ...
  A: Typically the laser is fixed and there is a tiny, activated mirror to steer the beam into a pattern. ...
Magnification - Why Two Systems4/26/2006
  Q: Followup To Question - Welcome back! In studying lens I'm puzzled by the fact there are two ways ...
  A: The wiki article is good, but it uses a simple sign convention. The authors have chosen a convention ...
Holograms4/23/2006
  Q: I was curious of how one could create a hologram. I wasn't sure if there are different kinds of a ...
  A: One could never make a hologram of niagra falls itself for several reasons. Here are two: 1. It is ...
how could this be true?4/21/2006
  Q: my name is matt volkert, i'm 21 years old with 3 years of college experience at UVA and i'm studying ...
  A: Not opitcs questions, but easy enough: 1. When your car suddenly stops, you feel a force pulling ...
Questions4/20/2006
  Q: I actually have a few questions about light and figured there was no need to max you out by sending ...
  A: 1. holograms are made by interference of light. They can be designed by fast computers as well. The ...
energy diagrams4/18/2006
  Q: I hope I'm finding you in the best of health. I'm 16, in high school and I thought I nunderstand ...
  A: This is a trick question of sorts. The atom can relax to the ground state two ways: 3->2->1 (two ...
Magnification - Why Two Systems4/10/2006
  Q: Welcome back! In studying lens I'm puzzled by the fact there are two ways of expressing a lens' ...
  A: Good to hear that you have been busy. Certainly I have, which is why I have been "on vacation." ...
light reflection11/28/2005
  Q: When light is reflected, how can the photons change the direction of travel instantly with no ...
  A: A: Photons don't really change direction instantly. Photons themselves do not accelerate (they have ...
light11/26/2005
  Q: my age is 24 and i stud children between (12-14)years the subject of question is the light the ...
  A: How does vision work: http://science.howstuffworks.com/eye.htm Optics for 12-14 years: I ...
Fiber Optic Light Guide - Where to Obtain11/24/2005
  Q: I've got a couple of questions - I've put up a webpage as it's easier to explain the question. It's ...
  A: I'll send you fiber information soon. Generally speaking, the output end of the fiber must be the ...
Lens Magnification Formula11/21/2005
  Q: Curtis, Many thanks for your earlier reply letting me know the minimum value of R needs to be 4*f ...
  A: To answer your question directly, your image will be out of focus is you try to force R<4*f. ...
UV light ink11/16/2005
  Q: I couldn't find someone who specialized in inks or chemestry, but I had a question about that hand ...
  A: It could certainly work, but I think you would have to be sophisticated to create ink of the proper ...
Lens Magnification Formula and Light Source Question11/12/2005
  Q: I've got a couple of questions - I've put up a webpage as it's easier to explain the question. It's ...
  A: FirstThe equation for magnification has lost one of the constraints of the equations that are used ...
Would you have to go the speed of light to reach the speed of light10/22/2005
  Q: the speed of light is constant about 6 million miles per second or somthing. now as you approach ...
  A: Time dilation is tricky. If you measure your own speed using distances measured in the motionless ...
Travel faster tha light10/14/2005
  Q: It is well known that nothing could travel faster than light (C) and also that motion is relative. ...
  A: By classical mechanics, your two bodies would exceed the speed of light (which would not violate ...
Light:?10/12/2005
  Q: I came across this question and im confused: A sheet of red paper will look black when illuminated ...
  A: I'm not sure what you mean by "category." With regards to human response, there are three colors: ...
Variable Index of Refraction10/11/2005
  Q: Hey there! I was just having a little doubt here: Is there any material bearing the property of a ...
  A: Refractive index is a linear electromagnetic property of materials. Therefore, it cannot be varied ...
Light - colour10/9/2005
  Q: I am forty years old! with a degree in Engineering. For the past 5 years I have been teaching ...
  A: Amanda, The effect is purely visual. For starters, light of different wavelengths (colors) does ...
speed of light questions10/6/2005
  Q: I'm a layperson interested in some aspects of physics. I wanted to ask you some questions about ...
  A: Mr. Thomas, Popular physics has grossly misrepresented the nature of light, specifically ...
How do we see the colour of a red book?10/2/2005
  Q: I am a student teacher. My science knowledge goes up to high school level. I have to give a ...
  A: Jacqueline, The recognition of color is a result of physical, biological, physiological, and ...
Lens Question9/30/2005
  Q: I need some help with lenses again! Any help appreciated. I've put the question up as a webpage ...
  A: Usuff, 1. Consumer mirrors are made from a plate of glass with a layer of aluminum on the back. ...
Lens Question9/28/2005
  Q: I need some help with lenses again! Any help appreciated. I've put the question up as a webpage ...
  A: Very nice image. There are a couple of problems with decentering your optics: 1. The translation ...
light9/27/2005
  Q: i am a senior in high school and Ive been interested in theoretical quantum physics since 8th grade. ...
  A: Bill, I have a metaphor for you. Q: Is liquid a gas or a solid? A: Liquid has properties of gas ...
Supersonic Optical Phenomena9/12/2005
  Q: A friend sent me several pictures of a cloud/shock wave which formed around a jet plane probably ...
  A: Don, This is a popular image in engineering circles. I found it on this web page, along with a ...
Directionality of Thermal Reflections/Emissions9/7/2005
  Q: Why do non-conductive materials reflect (thermal radiation) better at large angles to the surface ...
  A: Steve, You have mixed two principles which are better understood separately: 1. Metals reflect ...
Wheels spinning backwards8/29/2005
  Q: What is the reason that, let's say a car tire, looks to be spinning in the correct direction ...
  A: Andrew, This effect is called "aliasing." Aliasing means that a phenomenon characterized by a given ...
Condenser Lens - How to Use8/25/2005
  Q: Curtis, I need some help with condenser lenses. I've put up a webpage with a few questions at :- ...
  A: 1. When measuring S2, you should take the distance from the curved surface rather than the flat ...
Through how thick matter x-rays...8/22/2005
  Q: Through how thick matter x-rays can pass (it is clear, that it pass less through the harder matters ...
  A: The transmission of x-rays depends predominantly on the type of matter, thickness of the matter, ...
focusing light8/21/2005
  Q: I'm 26. I don't have any courses under my belt but I'm just generally interested in physics. I'm ...
  A: Greg, As a result of diffraction, the smallest theoretical size to which light of a given ...
science experiments8/16/2005
  Q: I'm 13, 8th grade, and I really don't know alot about science of any kind yet, but i'm interested in ...
  A: Erica, I would recommend looking for science fair project ideas on the web. This page looks like a ...
The speed of light........8/15/2005
  Q: I'm not sure whether you can help but here goes anyway. A work colleague sent me the following ...
  A: It is impossible to travel at or faster than the speed of light, but you may travel close to the ...
infra red rays7/21/2005
  Q: sir, why is that infra red light is able to peneterate through mist and fog? why is it not ...
  A: Charu, Your statements seem incorrect to me, but it depends on the exact wavelength in question. UV ...
Thin Lens Equation - Can't Get to Work for DCX Lens7/14/2005
  Q: I couldn't get the thin lens equation to work for me with a double convex lens. I placed an object ...
  A: Ok, the addition of the second lens makes a big difference. You can use "gaussian reduction" to ...
Thin Lens Equation – Can’t Get to Work for DCX Lens7/12/2005
  Q: I couldn't get the thin lens equation to work for me with a double convex lens. I placed an object ...
  A: The Lissajous figure is very nice. I had never heard the term before. I tried adding a fixed ...
A few Questions on Lenses7/6/2005
  Q: A few questions on lens, if I may. 1) Is there a convention for stating lens magnifications? The ...
  A: Usuff, I messed up because I did not notice that the lens was a negative focal length. I should ...
A few Questions on Lenses7/5/2005
  Q: A few questions on lens, if I may. 1) Is there a convention for stating lens magnifications? The ...
  A: 1. One cannot distinguish an Nx lens from a 1/Nx lens because the former can be turned around to ...
Chromophore7/4/2005
  Q: 1...Please tell me what is the meaning of "Chromophore" in UV? 2...And what is the meaning of ...
  A: I assume that you have an issue with the concept of "color" when one is talking about UV light. You ...
a question about emitting light7/2/2005
  Q: I am a Uni student .I learned something about direct and indirect semiconductor .They said that ...
  A: I think this summary will answer yourhttp://ece-www.colorado.edu/~bart/book/book/chapter4/ch4_6.htm ...
Interference question7/1/2005
  Q: I have a question that bothers me for a while now and it appears that I cannot find a satisfactory ...
  A: The answer to this question varies, depending on whether the wave is finite or infinite. Infinite ...
origin of reflected and refracted way6/9/2005
  Q: I just learnt that wave propagation is due to the oscillation of charge, thus varyinig electric ...
  A: Steven, If I am interpreting your question correctly, you are concerned about how the direction of ...
Thin Lens Equation6/3/2005
  Q: Curtis, [snip] An aside - why is it called the "thin" lens equation when the lenses it applies to ...
  A: I should take some time to introduce the concept of "paraxial optics," or "first-order optics." ...
How to Find Values for S1 and S25/31/2005
  Q: Followup To Question - Hi Curtis, Many thanks again for the earlier reply giving me the thin lens ...
  A: Finally, an answer that is not quadratic! (1/m + 1)*(1 + m) = R/f The thin lens equation applies ...
How to Find Values for S1 and S25/24/2005
  Q: Many thanks again for the earlier reply giving me the thin lens equation : 1/S1 + 1/S2 = 1/f ...
  A: Usuff, You can calculate M without S1 and S2, but the form is again quadratic. There are two ...
How to Find Values for S1 and S25/22/2005
  Q: Many thanks again for the earlier reply giving me the thin lens equation : 1/S1 + 1/S2 = 1/f ...
  A: Usuff, The two equations form a quadratic when you combine them. Let R = S1 + S2, then S1^2 - ...
Surface Plasmon Phenomenon5/16/2005
  Q: May everything orients in your favor. I've been graduated in chemical Eng. (BS). My question is ...
  A: I'm not exactly sure at what level you are trying to understand plasmon effects. My best advice for ...
Sunlight5/15/2005
  Q: Why does sunlight have a bleaching effect ? I have a number of books on my shelves that are in ...
  A: Mark, The bleaching is a result of what are called "photochemical reactions." The organic dyes ...
Ligh in two places at once5/12/2005
  Q: I recently heard that light has been photographed in two places at once. That is, the same photons ...
  A: The location of a photon can be uncertain enough to conclude that it exists in two places at once. ...
Speed of light.5/11/2005
  Q: I am 19 and i am a university student studying engineering. At current i am reading a book named ...
  A: There isn't a "why" to answer your question - that's simply the way it is. Only massless fields ...
charge5/9/2005
  Q: I have a simple question. What really IS 'charge'? I know a electron has negative charge and a ...
  A: Ken, Charge is a fundamental property of matter. Therefore, it cannot be defined in any more ...
Plastic Lens - Any Good?5/7/2005
  Q: I'm interested in obtaining large diameter (10 - 15cm) negative lens with short focal lengths (say ...
  A: Plastic lenses can be as good or better than glass, but more likely they are not as high quality. ...
Light5/4/2005
  Q: A 2 part question. First when was the speed of light first measured and how was it measured ? ...
  A: This web page wll answer the ...
Any Formula for Using Enlarging Lens as Macro Lens?5/3/2005
  Q: I am photographing objects at close distances, around half a metre away, with both a 35mm and medium ...
  A: Usuff, Thank you for the drawing. Yes, there is a formula, but first I will introduce a few ...
rear car windows, polarisation of light5/2/2005
  Q: my name is Maarten, 20 years old, student engineering sciences. I was told that the rear window of a ...
  A: Maarten, Glass is put under pressure when installed, and it might have polarizing properties, but ...
light4/22/2005
  Q: Please tell me how do e.m. waves reflect when hitting an object. Does the light bounce of the ...
  A: EM waves reflect because of vibrating electrons in the object. Whether the electrons are located on ...
photon types4/20/2005
  Q: Several questions for you... 1. As far as I understand, UV and infrared are considered light. Are ...
  A: 1. Yes, The term "light" can apply to any electromagnetic wave. Thus, gamma, x-ray, UV, visible, IR, ...
Concave lens/parallel rays3/24/2005
  Q: I am a physics student. 16 years old. 3 questions about light rays and lenses: why are light rays ...
  A: 1. Light rays from distant sources are diverging so little that they may be treated as parallel. ...
Black body radiation3/22/2005
  Q: I'm interested in the maximum temperature an object can reach when being heated by radiation. I'm ...
  A: You must be hard core to be worrying about whether you can exceed 5700 K - after all, there is ...
theoretical use of magnifier2/22/2005
  Q: Age 40, Upper second class history degree, Working knowledge of A level optics. This may be be ...
  A: Denise, This is right up my alley! I will give you the answer, and let you do most of the thinking ...
reflection.2/16/2005
  Q: you have said to apply lens maker formula.You see lens maker formula is approximation, not exact ...
  A: Lens maker's equation is exact if you use it with the appropriate cardinal points. In the case of a ...
photocell for pinwood derby car2/14/2005
  Q: My son wants to add simple sounds to his boy scout pinewood derby car. I have the Radio Shack ...
  A: Your photocell lowers its resistance with increasing light level. To make a switch from this, you ...
reflection.2/12/2005
  Q: sir , there is an object and a reflective surface is placed in front of it. now how do we find out ...
  A: This is a mathematically complex subject. I don't have and idea what your background is, so I will ...
electrical spark phenomena2/10/2005
  Q: There are several electrical spark phenomena; lightning, electric arc light (also called klieg ...
  A: Carl, 1) Most of the light produced by electric arcs is created by process of gaseous discharge. ...
e=mc22/8/2005
  Q: Age 60; Graduate in History; elementary grasp of subject. Can you please explain the c2 part of ...
  A: The full form of the equation is this: E^2 = (m0^2 * c^4) + (p^2 * c^2) E is the total energy of ...
Diffraction grating question2/6/2005
  Q: If I have the relative intensity [I(x)/I(x=0)] of a diffraction pattern created by shining a HeNe ...
  A: Your diffraction pattern will be composed of a series of bright dots. The dots will be spaced ...
Trapping Light2/4/2005
  Q: Is it possible to trap light? Light reflects off objects and disperses but what if it had nowhere to ...
  A: There is no such thing as a perfect reflector. Light reflects off of the walls of the mirrored box ...
Frequency1/25/2005
  Q: Sir, I am fairly good in Geometrical and Wave Optics and can comprehend quantum mechanics to an ...
  A: The frequency stays constant, but the velocity of the waves changes. Therefore, the wavelength must ...
Frequency1/23/2005
  Q: Sir, I am fairly good in Geometrical and Wave Optics and can comprehend quantum mechanics to an ...
  A: Sanjeth, Your reasoning is correct, but you can also think of it as a mechanics problem. Light ...
Stroboscopic effect1/20/2005
  Q: I am over 50 and have a BS in engineering. Why doesn't the stroboscopic effect cause flickering of ...
  A: The effect is called "aliasing" when the apparent spatial or temporal frequency is different from ...
Solar Energy1/19/2005
  Q: I am a high school student attending Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, California. I need to do a ...
  A: Sergio, The science is very simple. Absorbed light becomes heat. The more light collected, and the ...
Speed of Light1/15/2005
  Q: Curtis, I have two questions for you about light. I am an accountant so I would appreciate it if ...
  A: Paul, Thanks for the rating. I saw your additional question in your comments. Some people call ...
Series circuit1/8/2005
  Q: I did an practical experiment in my school. The experiment was to make a series circuit with three ...
  A: What you describe is commonplace when you run lights in series without a bias resistor. While the ...
Laser acceleration1/5/2005
  Q: "The "something simple" is the doppler shift. I found a convincing-looking discussion here: ...
  A: It appears that I send a dynamic link. My apologies. The abstract page might be static: ...
Laser acceleration1/4/2005
  Q: I am currently a second semester sophomore and have a decent understanding of light and the ...
  A: Aaron, The "something simple" is the doppler shift. I found a convincing-looking discussion here: ...
atom12/18/2004
  Q: Let's say you have a smooth wood table and on top of it a rough stone. I assume the table, the ...
  A: The question of smooth vs. rough is easy. In one case, all the atoms on the surface are aligned in a ...
Space expansion: what exactly is it doing to photons?12/17/2004
  Q: I am trying to understand how the expansion of spacetime is "stretching" light, for example the ...
  A: Frank, Sorry for the long wait. As I understand it, photon-matter interactions in the first ...
How to Get Black, Non Reflective Surface12/15/2004
  Q: I do some photography where I shoot in the dark. I've painted some surfaces with black paint so ...
  A: I think that black felt is the optimum "cheap" black material. There are things even better, but ...
Light waves I guess12/14/2004
  Q: age:67! level of education re physics|: pretty low. Q: If the light we see from stars is many light ...
  A: Deep space is pretty much a vacuum, so light from distant stars does not disperse very much. There ...
optics12/13/2004
  Q: my name is vineeth venugopal and iam a student of class 12 in india. i have basic education in both ...
  A: You are welcome to ask optics questions as you wish. I allow only one question per day because of ...
How to Get Black, Non Reflective Surface12/8/2004
  Q: I do some photography where I shoot in the dark. I've painted some surfaces with black paint so ...
  A: Even the best black paint applied with the best technique is about 5% reflective at normal ...
Speed of Light12/6/2004
  Q: Age 70, B.Sc, B.Ed (retired high school math teacher) - I sometimes filled in for the science ...
  A: My apologies for the long delay, Rick. Your email got lost in my spam filter. I will try to make it ...
field of view12/1/2004
  Q: Ok I have been searching the Internet for the answer to this question but I have come up empty ...
  A: The field of view (FOV) of the human eye is almost an entire hemisphere, or 180 degrees. Your brow, ...
rainbow11/12/2004
  Q: I have just studied that the rainbows are formed by the refrective index on the water droplets, I ...
  A: Rainbows are formed by light passing through spherical water droplets. They are formed at angles of ...
Hi Curtis, I noticed that...11/8/2004
  Q: I noticed that the sunlight during the fall seems to be different than the sunlight during summer. ...
  A: Doug, 1. The sun is much lower in the sky in autumn, meaning that 10-15% less light flux hits the ...
what does sunlight look like?10/28/2004
  Q: Age 52, Associate of Science in Business. Understanding of the subject: basic, but like to read ...
  A: David, Light is a travelling electromagnetic wave. As such, it is essentially a form of energy. The ...
light10/24/2004
  Q: Explain the relationship between light, electricity, and the entire range of the electromagnetic ...
  A: I can't specifically comment on the book since I have not read it. I am generally a skeptic, so I ...
measuring voltage10/19/2004
  Q: im 16, a 1st year college and im about to ask you, w/c is more economics, 50 watts incandescent bulb ...
  A: The two bulbs will cost about the same to operate, depending on your exact electricity cost. The ...
light10/17/2004
  Q: Explain the relationship between light, electricity, and the entire range of the electromagnetic ...
  A: Light and electricity are very different. Electricity is the movement of electrons (which have ...
Halogen burnout10/15/2004
  Q: When I was moving into a new address, the landlord did some wiring for the room that was to be my ...
  A: Herb, Most likely you just burned through the bulb filament. You can replace the bulb quite easily. ...
spectra--visible light10/12/2004
  Q: I have some follow-up questions. (I think the original Q&A are printed below) My book has a graph ...
  A: David, You are studying what can be an extremely confusing topic - standard radiometric units and ...
spectra--visible light10/8/2004
  Q: I am studying physics on my own, using college textbooks. I would lke to confirm something I have ...
  A: Your theses is essentially correct. Using planck's law, one can easily calculate the number of ...
telescope10/3/2004
  Q: Can you please explain me how can we create a simple/good refracting telescope at home? Also please ...
  A: The list of requirements and specifications are too large for me to answer. Instead, I recommend ...
microwave combine with smoke detector9/21/2004
  Q: how many times have we burnt our popcorn? Many! that's y i want to design a microwave that ...
  A: Very interesting. I'm not sure that carbon dioxide is the dominant byproduct of overcooking. That ...
the spectrum beyond9/18/2004
  Q: What lies beyond the shortest and the longest electrodynamic waves, why should there be a limit to ...
  A: There is no such thing as the shortest and longest electromagnetic wave. The electromagnetic ...
FTL communication9/17/2004
  Q: It occurred to me to wonder: if we had an observation post halfway between us and another star ...
  A: On the first point, you are correct. Any signal from the observation post would also travel at the ...
Sunlight, UV rays and vitamin D9/14/2004
  Q: I in my 30's and hold a B.Sc. Can you tell me if both types of UV rays penetrate regular window ...
  A: Not sure what you mean by "both types of UV." UV is a continuous spectrum of light from 1000-400 nm ...
Rifle Scopes9/6/2004
  Q: I am a 43 year old man with a college degree, but very little knowledge of rifle scopes. My ...
  A: I think this page had a quick summary of ballistic compensation: ...
Red eye9/3/2004
  Q: Why do we have red eye in the photograph?
  A: Shawn, Redeye is caused by the reflection of light off the back of your eye (the retina). The ...
red light6/3/2004
  Q: Many light bulbs used for gardening have specific bandwidths of light that they output, in the red ...
  A: Good question, and one about which I have recently wondered. I dropped the $10 on a fluorescent ...
light As Physics6/3/2004
  Q: Would you please explain this problem, (C) --- (ii) only? I have the answers-----still cannot ...
  A: Jane, This problem assumes that the footprint of a pixel is proportional to the distance ("range") ...
Optics6/2/2004
  Q: Have you seen those outer space sci-fi movie where you have this kind of computer/machine where they ...
  A: Light cannot reflect of bend in free space. For you to see light, it must either 1. be directly ...
vision5/31/2004
  Q: How far can a standing 6 foot person see out toward the horizon
  A: To calculate the distance to the horizon in nautical miles use the following formula: Distance to ...
The specific property of black colour3/9/2004
  Q: my name is Andrius (Andrew in english:). I'm a young physicist from Lithuania studying in Vilnius ...
  A: 1. The color of an absolute blackbody depends on its temperature. If the temperature is less than ...
Finding the refractive index3/9/2004
  Q: I am 17, and leaving school at the end of the year, I am doing advanced higher physics (equivalent I ...
  A: I am a little bit confused by your apparatus. Here's my best guess: 1. You have a concave mirror ...
a question about uv light3/2/2004
  Q: I am currently taking first year physics in university and something that we were learning about ...
  A: Ultraviolet is broken into three bands based on wavelength, UVA, UVB, and UVC: UVA 400 nm - 320 nm ...
Is Speed of Light Absolutely Constant?2/27/2004
  Q: I was taught in school that c is constant, regardless. However the refraction of light in glass is ...
  A: Usuff, This is a misunderstanding that I hear about all the time. The speed of light is constant ...
laser2/21/2004
  Q: I am a researcher.I want to know that which chemical quickly give colour change on exposure to He-Ne ...
  A: I could not find any reference to the material you mentioned, or to any other photochromic dyes ...
optical2/20/2004
  Q: i very good morning sir, my quenstion is, when a very high- melting point object's heated it will ...
  A: The phenomenon you are interested in is called "blackbody color". The spectrum of light extends from ...
photoelasticity and stress factors2/17/2004
  Q: i am 17 years old, a junior in high school, and doing a science fair project on photoelasticity and ...
  A: Keri, I gather that you are using photoelasticity to determine the amount of stress on a window. I ...
Second Length2/16/2004
  Q: "Second" is probably the basic unit of time. I have a question. Why the length of a second is "One ...
  A: The definition of a second is arbitrary. At some point in ancient history, the Egyptians divided a ...
Laser pointer guy again. lol.2/10/2004
  Q: I have yet another question for you related to laser pointers. lol. You say that the diodes are ...
  A: I tried to find a decent page on laser diode technology, and this seems to be the best: ...
magnitized water2/9/2004
  Q: I am eleven years old, i am in junior high school. i don' understand this topic much all i know is ...
  A: I think that water magnetization is a scam. Look here for information: ...
Laser pointer and eyes2/7/2004
  Q: Sorry that this one won't stretch you. It must be an easy one. Those laser pointers used in ...
  A: Art, No, those lasers are not dangerous to people or any large animals. Their power is firly low, ...
Blue lasers1/31/2004
  Q: This time my question will strickly be about light. lol. I've been wanting to buy a blue laser ...
  A: James, You will have to wait a little while to buy a cheap blue laser pointer. The reason is quite ...
diffraction grating/interference1/29/2004
  Q: I performed an experiment passing light from a sodium lamp through a coarse diffraction grating, ...
  A: Pete, You have not told me much about your apparatus, but it sounds like you might have imaged the ...

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