LECTURE 04

This set of flashcards covers key terms and definitions related to properties of light and electromagnetic radiation as discussed in the lecture notes.

Solar/Electromagnetic Radiation

Radiation emitted by the sun, including light and heat.

Speed of Light

The speed at which light travels, approximately 300,000 km/sec in a vacuum.

Eclipse of Jupiter's Moons

Used by Røemer to determine the motion of Earth in relation to Jupiter, revealing the finite speed of light.

Visible Light

A spectrum of light perceived by the human eye, made up of various colors.

Prism Dispersion

The separation of light into its component colors when passed through a prism.

Double Slit Experiment

An experiment demonstrating that light can exhibit wave-like properties through interference patterns.

Electromagnetic Field

A field produced by electric and magnetic charges which propagates through space.

Wavelength (λ)

The distance between successive wave crests in electromagnetic radiation.

Frequency (ν)

The number of wave crests or troughs passing a point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Photoelectric Effect

The emission of electrons from a material when it is exposed to light, depending on the light's frequency.

Planck’s Constant (h)

A fundamental constant that relates the energy of photons to their frequency.

Black Body Radiation

The emission spectrum of an idealized object that absorbs all incoming radiation.

Greenhouse Effect

The warming of Earth’s atmosphere due to gases that absorb solar energy.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, from gamma rays to radio waves.

Thermal Radiation

Electromagnetic radiation emitted by all objects due to their temperature.

Hertz (Hz)

The unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second.

Photon

A discrete packet or quantum of electromagnetic radiation.