Comparing Frequencies of Red & Violet
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This diagram compares the frequency of two electromagnetic waves that correspond with an observer’s perception of red and violet.
The diagram shows that the frequency of electromagnetic waves (light) refers to the number of oscillations that pass a given point in a given amount of time.
Understanding the diagram
- The diagram shows a total of three wave-cycles for red and eight wave-cycles for violet. The length of one wave-cycle (oscillation) is shown as a yellow arrow drawn on each wave.
- The point at which measurement of passing waves is taken is shown as a vertical line below a clock face whilst the period of time is shown as an arrow.
- During the measurement period, one red wave and three violet waves pass the measurement point. So the frequency of violet is 3 wave-cycles and the frequency of red is 1 wave-cycle.
- Because red has fewer wave-cycles per second than violet it is said to have a lower frequency.
- Because violet has more wave-cycles per second than red it is said to have a higher frequency.
- Because the frequency of electromagnetic waves in the visible part of the spectrum is so high the diagram shows the difference between Hertz, Kilohertz, Megahertz and Gigahertz and Terahertz.
Description
Comparing Frequencies of Red and Violet
TRY SOME QUICK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO GET STARTED
The frequency of incident light is unchanged as it travels from air into water and undergoes refraction.
The hertz is used to measure the frequency of electromagnetic waves. Different prefixes denoting subdivisions are used to aid measurement eg. kilohertz (1,000 cycles/sec), megahertz ( 1,000,000 cycles/sec), gigahertz (1,000,000,000 cycles/sec) and terahertz (1,000,000,000,000 cycles/sec).
Shorter wavelengths = Higher frequency.
About the diagram
About the diagram
- This diagram compares the frequency of two electromagnetic waves that correspond with an observer’s perception of red and violet. It also looks at the units used when frequency is being measured.
- The diagram shows that the frequency of electromagnetic waves (light) refers to the number of oscillations that pass a given point in a given amount of time.
Understanding the diagram
- The diagram shows a total of three wave-cycles for red and eight wave-cycles for violet. The length of one wave-cycle (oscillation) is shown as a yellow arrow drawn on each wave.
- The point at which measurement of passing waves is taken is shown as a vertical line below a clock face whilst the period of time is shown as an arrow.
- During the measurement period, one red wave and three violet waves pass the measurement point. So the frequency of violet is 3 wave-cycles and the frequency of red is 1 wave-cycle.
- Because red has fewer wave-cycles per second than violet it is said to have a lower frequency.
- Because violet has more wave-cycles per second than red it is said to have a higher frequency.
- Because the frequency of electromagnetic waves in the visible part of the spectrum is so high the diagram shows the difference between Hertz, Kilohertz, Megahertz and Gigahertz and Terahertz.
Remember that:
- The frequency of a wave should not be confused with the speed at which the wave travels or the distance it travels.
- The term frequency refers to the measurement of the frequency of wave oscillations that pass a given point in a given amount of time.
- The unit of measurement of frequency is the hertz. One hertz is one wave-cycle per second.
- Because the frequency of electromagnetic waves is so small, Hertz is sub-divided into kilohertz, megahertz, gigahertz and terahertz.
- The number of each unit per hertz is shown in the diagram.
- The wavelength and frequency of light are closely related. In any given medium, the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength.
- The amount of energy transported by a light wave increases with the frequency of oscillations (wave-cycle) and as the length of each oscillation decreases.
Remember also:
- The position of an electromagnetic wave within the electromagnetic spectrum is determined by its frequency or wavelength.
- The electromagnetic spectrum includes, in order of increasing frequency and decreasing wavelength: radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays.
- The electromagnetic spectrum includes all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, ranging from low energy radio waves through visible light up to high energy gamma rays.
- The full range of frequencies of visible light, between red and violet, is called the visible spectrum.
Some key terms
The frequency of electromagnetic radiation (light) refers to the number of wave-cycles of an electromagnetic wave that pass a given point in a given amount of time.
The electromagnetic spectrum includes electromagnetic waves with all possible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, ranging from low energy radio waves through visible light to high energy gamma rays.
- There are no precisely defined boundaries between the bands of electromagnetic radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum.
- The electromagnetic spectrum includes, in order of increasing frequency and decreasing wavelength: radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays.
- Visible light is only a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is called the visible spectrum.
- The visible spectrum is the range of wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum that correspond with all the different colours we see in the world.
- As light travels through the air it is invisible to our eyes.
- Human beings don’t see wavelengths of light, but they do see the spectral colours that correspond with each wavelength and colours produced when different wavelengths are combined.
- The visible spectrum includes all the spectral colours between red and violet and each is produced by a single wavelength.
- The visible spectrum is often divided into named colours, though any division of this kind is somewhat arbitrary.
- Traditional colours referred to in English include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
A wave-cycle refers to the path of a wave measured from any point through the course of a single oscillation to the same point on the next oscillation.
- Imagine a wave-cycle as a series of points marked on the path of the wave between one crest and the next.
- All electromagnetic waves share features such as crests, troughs, oscillations, wavelength, frequency, amplitude, direction of travel.
- Whilst a wave-cycle is the path from one point on a wave during a single oscillation to the same point on completion of that oscillation, wavelength is a measurement of the same phenomenon along the axis of the wave.
An electromagnetic wave carries electromagnetic radiation.
- An electromagnetic wave is formed as electromagnetic radiation propagates from a light source, travels through space and encounters different materials.
- Electromagnetic waves can be imagined as synchronised oscillations of electric and magnetic fields that propagate at the speed of light in a vacuum.
- Electromagnetic waves are similar to other types of waves in so far as they can be measured in terms of wavelength, frequency and amplitude.
- We can feel electromagnetic waves release their energy when sunlight warms our skin.
- Remember that electromagnetic radiation can be described either as an oscillating wave or as a stream of particles, called photons, which also travel in a wave-like pattern.
- The notion of waves is often used to describe phenomena such as refraction or reflection whilst the particle analogy is used when dealing with phenomena such as diffraction and interference.
Wavelength is a measurement from any point on the path of a wave to the same point on its next oscillation. The measurement is made parallel to the centre-line of the wave.
- The wavelength of an electromagnetic wave is measured in metres.
- Each type of electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves, visible light and gamma waves, forms a band of wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.
- The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is composed of the range of wavelengths that correspond with all the different colours we see in the world.
- Human beings don’t see wavelengths of visible light, but they do see the spectral colours that correspond with each wavelength and the other colours produced when different wavelengths are combined.
- The wavelength of visible light is measured in nanometres. There are 1,000,000,000 nanometres to a metre.
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