The Electromagnetic Spectrum. The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is the range of all types of EM radiation. Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes – the visible light that comes from a lamp in your house and the radio waves that come from a radio station are two types of elect...
Unit 5 of PHY2048, which may cover topics related to light and optics:
Unit 5: Light and Optics
1. The Nature of Light
o Electromagnetic Spectrum: The range of electromagnetic waves,
including radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light,
ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.
o Particle-Wave Duality: The concept that light can exhibit both
wave-like and particle-like behavior.
2. Geometric Optics: Reflection and Refraction
o Reflection: The bouncing back of light when it encounters a
surface.
o Laws of Reflection: The incident angle is equal to the reflected
angle, and the incident ray, reflected ray, and normal to the
surface all lie in the same plane.
o Refraction: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to
another with a different optical density.
o Snell's Law: Describes the relationship between the angles of
incidence and refraction and the refractive indices of the two
media.
3. Thin Lenses and Lens Systems
o Thin Lenses: Optical devices that can converge or diverge light.
o Convex Lenses: Thicker at the center, converge light.
o Concave Lenses: Thinner at the center, diverge light.
o Lens Systems: Combinations of lenses that can produce various
optical effects.
4. Optical Instruments
o Human Eye: The structure and function of the eye, including the
cornea, lens, retina, and accommodation.
o Microscopes: Instruments that use lenses to magnify small
objects.
o Telescopes: Instruments that gather and focus light from distant
objects.
5. Wave Optics: Interference and Diffraction
o Interference: The superposition of two or more waves resulting in
the reinforcement or cancellation of waves.
o Young's Double-Slit Experiment: Demonstrates the interference
pattern produced by light passing through two closely spaced
slits.
o Diffraction: The bending of waves around obstacles or through
narrow openings.
o Single-Slit Diffraction: Describes the diffraction pattern produced
by light passing through a single slit.
6. Polarization of Light
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