Chapter 22: Light and Color - Properties of Light

Vocabulary flashcards covering Section 22.1: Properties of Light, light production by atoms, incandescence, fluorescence, and related experiment concepts.

Properties of Light

Characteristics of light, which include traveling extremely fast over long distances, traveling in straight lines, carrying energy and information, bouncing and bending when contacting objects, and possessing color and varying intensities.

Reflected Light

The form of light through which we see most of the world.

Light Production in Atoms

The process where light is mostly produced by atoms after some energy is first put into the atom.

Incandescence

A method of light production that uses heat to energize atoms.

Fluorescence

A method of light production that uses high energy or electricity to energize atoms, which then release light without becoming hot.

Efficiency of Fluorescent Bulbs

The reason fluorescent bulbs are more commonly used than incandescent bulbs: all energy goes into light, whereas some energy in incandescent lights goes into heat.

Tonic Water Glow Mechanism

A fluorescent reaction where UV atoms charge and energize carbonated atoms to produce a blue glow.

Reflection

The phenomenon that allows tonic water to glow in every direction even when illuminated by a flashlight from only one direction.