Questions tagged [wavelength]
The wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats, and the inverse of the spatial frequency or wavenumber. Determined by considering the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase, such as crests. Use for wavenumber, wavelength, frequency.
162
questions
31
votes
6
answers
9k
views
How can a red light photon be different from a blue light photon?
How can photons have different energies if they have the same rest mass (zero) and same speed (speed of light)?
82
votes
11
answers
122k
views
What determines color -- wavelength or frequency?
What determines the color of light -- is it the wavelength of the light or the frequency?
(i.e. If you put light through a medium other than air, in order to keep its color the same, which one would ...
32
votes
4
answers
5k
views
$\lambda=\frac{2h}{p}$ instead of $\lambda=\frac{h}{p}$?
I am studying quantum physics and there is something I don't understand:
I know that for any particle $E=hf$ (Einstein relation) and
$v=\lambda f$ ($v$ is the speed of the particle).
I also know ...
17
votes
1
answer
35k
views
Planck's Law in terms of wavelength
I am drawing a blank when it comes to equation transformation. Wikipedia gives two equations for the spectral radiance of black body:
First as a function of frequency $\nu$: $$I(\nu, T) = \frac{2 h \...
41
votes
4
answers
191k
views
Why does wavelength change as light enters a different medium?
When light waves enter a medium of higher refractive index than the previous, why is it that:
Its wavelength decreases?
The frequency of it has to stay the same?
40
votes
4
answers
13k
views
Is there an infinite amount of wavelengths of light? Is the EM spectrum continuous?
The electromagnetic spectrum is a continuum of wavelengths of light, and we have labels for some ranges of these and numerical measurements for many.
Question: Is the EM spectrum continuous such that ...
17
votes
2
answers
10k
views
What is Gray, from a physics POV?
Quora explains how white and black colors fit into the spectrum of visible light. It explains that white is all colors together while black is the lack of color.
So, where is Gray? Gray is the mix of ...
28
votes
7
answers
8k
views
The strange thing about the maximum in Planck's law
I read that it makes a difference whether you calculate $\frac{dE(\lambda) }{d \lambda}=0$ or $\frac{dE(\omega)}{d \omega}=0$ in the sense that the maximum energy density with respect to the ...
22
votes
3
answers
13k
views
What is the minimum wavelength of electromagnetic radiation?
As a first approximation, I don't see how a wavelength of less than 2 Planck distances could exist. The question is: Are there any other limits that would come into play before that?
For example:
...
54
votes
5
answers
9k
views
Are there any theoretical limits on the energy of a photon?
Is there any lower or upper limit on the energy of a photon? i.e. does the mathematical framework we currently use to study photons blow up when a photon surpasses a certain upper limit of energy? (or ...
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Deriving relativistic Doppler shift in terms of wavelength? [closed]
Consider a star moving with velocity $v$ at an angle $\theta$ with respect to its line of sight to Earth. Show that the relativistic Doppler shift is
$$\lambda_{obs} = \frac{1 - \frac{v}{c} cos(\theta)...
27
votes
9
answers
8k
views
What determines whether colors you can't see are visible or not?
So, when someone is red-green colorblind, the colors appear the same to them, like this:
Source: https://iristech.co/what-do-colorblind-people-see/
And if you're totally colorblind, then things ...
22
votes
5
answers
12k
views
Why does electron orbital circumference have to be in multiples of de Broglie wavelengths?
Electron orbit circumferences have to be in multiples of its de Broglie wavelength, but what do those 2 have in common?
14
votes
6
answers
20k
views
Why does the frequency of a wave remain constant?
They say the frequency of a wave is its fundamental character, thus remain constant throughout its propagation regardless the medium through which it travels. Could anyone explain why frequency of ...
68
votes
12
answers
34k
views
Is it possible that there is a color our human eye can't see?
Is it possible that there's a color that our eye couldn't see? Like all of us are color blind to it.
If there is, is it possible to detect/identify it?