Light Archives - Fact / Myth

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Light is electromagnetic radiation within a certain portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, photons are the carrier particle for electromagnetic energy.

Light speed is the max speed of the universe. All massless energy particles (of which the universe is largely made of), including photons, always travel at light speed in a vacuum (they have momentum, not mass).

Light is a particle and a wave that exists as an excited state in the electromagnetic field that permeates the universe (according to quantum field theory).

Light can affect mood, our skin can synthesize vitamin D from light, plants can turn light into energy like we do with food, light can be used to store information instead of electrons in quantum computers, Li-Fi is Wi-Fi that uses light, Light can be used as solar energy, the list goes on.

Light is one of the strangest and most fundamental aspects of the universe, and accounts for one of four fundamental forces. Visible light is just a small frequency range in the electromagnetic spectrum.

To understand the nature of light is to understand the nature of the physical universe.

Factoids tagged with "Light"

Potentially, Everything is Light Fact

Nikola Tesla was said to have said “everything is light.” That is potentially correct. In theory, the universe could be explained by electromagnetic energy.

The Speed of Light is Constant (in a Perfect Vacuum) Fact

In theory, the speed of light, in a perfect vacuum, measured from an inertial frame, is constant with an exact value of 299,792,458 m/s.

The Hubble Telescope Uses Real Colors Fact

The Hubble Space Telescope images use real colors in the sense that their color palette correlates with the wavelengths of observed light.

All Waves Transfer Energy Fact

All waves (including sound waves, electromagnetic waves, and even water waves) transfer energy, and all energy is transferred in a wave-like motion.

All Elementary Particles Exhibit Wave-Particle Duality Fact

All elementary particles exhibit wave-particle duality, acting as both a particle and a wave.

Visible Light is Electromagnetic Radiation Fact

Visible light is a range of wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum visible to the human eye (wavelengths of about 390 to 700 nm).

At Its Core, Chemistry is Physics Fact

On a fundamental level, chemistry can be explained by physics. The atoms that make up the periodic table elements are themselves made of quantum particles.

Sound Always Travels Slower than Light Myth

Sound usually travels slower than light, but not always. Under normal conditions, light moves roughly a million times faster than sound, but under the right conditions sound can travel faster than light.

Human Behavior can be Random Fact

Human behavior can be random to some extent, but most behavior is based on prior input, and thus is “deterministic” (meaning not totally random).

If a Tree Falls in a Forest and No One Can Hear it, it Makes a Sound Fact

According to physics, if a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, it still makes a sound. Sound is a mechanical wave of pressure and displacement through a medium such as air or water. We don’t have to perceive a sound to know the laws of physics are in play.

Reading in Dim Light is Bad For Your Eyes Myth

Reading in dim light isn’t bad for your eyes. Be it a book or electronic device, reading in dim light will not damage the eyesight of a healthy adult (although it may cause temporary strain).

Light is Both a Particle and a Wave Fact

Light is a particle (a photon), that acts like a wave (“both a particle and a wave”), which can be measured as an excited quantized state of the electromagnetic field.

A Planck Unit Represents the Smallest Measurable Unit Fact

Planck units, based on the reduced Planck constant (ℏ) and Planck constant (h), represent the smallest measurable units in the physical universe.

All Particles are Made from Massless Particles Fact

All known particles are either massless energy particles, or are composite particles with mass that are made from massless energy particles.

The Standard Model Shows How Elementary Particles Interact Fact

The standard model of particle physics shows how the elementary particles interact via the four forces to create the physical universe.

There are Four Fundamental Forces Fact

There are four fundamental forces (interactions) in the universe: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear.

Nothing Can Travel Faster Than the Speed of Light Fact

No “thing” (including particles) can travel faster than light speed, but some “non-things” can. In both ways “nothing travels faster than the speed of light”.

LED is a New Technology Myth

The first light-emitting diode (LED) was created in 1927, but LED technology wasn’t mass-marketed or mass-produced until the 1990’s.

Edison Never Invented Anything Myth

Thomas Edison was a businessman, ideas-man, inventor, and more. He invented things, but more-so he collected patents, headed a team of developers, and created companies.

E=mc^2 (Mass and Energy are Equivalent) Fact

Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence equation (E=mc2) shows that mass and energy are equivalent (but not “exactly the same”) properties of a physical system.

Light Can Affect Mood Fact

Exposure to light in moderation, especially natural sunlight, can have an uplifting effect on mood, while excessive darkness can have the opposite effect.

Competitive Sports Have Always Been Popular in the U.S. Myth

Competitive sports became popular in the United States from 1850 – 1950 because of lighting technology, mass media, and developing labor and education laws.

Time is Relative Fact

Time is relative to speed and gravity (time dilation), and so is space (length contraction). Light speed is constant for all observers, so time and space can’t be.

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