Objectives: After completing this

module, you should be able to:

• Define light, discuss its properties, and give
the range of wavelengths for visible spectrum.
• Apply the relationship between frequencies
and wavelengths for optical waves.
• Define and apply the concepts of luminous
flux, luminous intensity, and illumination.
• Solve problems similar to those presented in
this module.
 A Beginning Definition
All objects are emitting
and absorbing EM radia-
tion. Consider a poker
placed in a fire.
As heating occurs, the 1
emitted EM waves have 2
higher energy and 3
eventually become visible. 4
First red . . . then white.
Light
Light may
may bebe defined
defined asas electromagnetic
electromagnetic radiation
radiation
that
that isis capable
capable of
of affecting
affecting the
the sense
sense of
of sight.
sight.
 Electromagnetic Waves
Wave Properties:
E
1. Waves travel at the
speed of light c.
B c
3 x 108 m/s 2. Perpendicular electric
and magnetic fields.
Electric E 3. Require no medium
Magnetic B for propagation.

For
For aa complete
complete review
review of
of the
the electromagnetic
electromagnetic
properties,
properties, you
you should
should study
study module
module 32C.
32C.
 The Wavelengths of Light
The
The electromagnetic
electromagnetic spectrum
spectrum spreads
spreads over
over aa
tremendous
tremendous range
range of of frequencies
frequencies or or wavelengths.
wavelengths.
The wavelength  isis related
The wavelength related to
to the frequency ff::
the frequency

cc == fc
fc == 33 xx 10
1088 m/s
m/s
Those EM waves that are visible (light) have wave-
lengths that range from 0.00004 to 0.00007 cm.

Red,  Violet, 
0.00007 cm 0.00004 cm
Frequency wavelength
f (Hz) nm)
The EM Spectrum
1024 A wavelength of one
1023 10-7
1022 Gamma rays 10-6 nanometer 1 nm is:
1021 10-4
1020
1019
10-3
10-1
11 nm
nm =
= 11 xx 10
10-9-9 m
m
1018 1
1017 X-rays 10
1016
1015
Ultraviolet 102
103
Visible Spectrum
1014
1013 Infrared rays
104 400 nm  700 nm
105
1012 106
1011 107
1010 Short Radio 108 Red 700 nm  Violet 400 nm
109 waves 109
108 1010
107 Broadcast Radio 1011
106
105 Long Radio 1012
1013
cc == fc
fc == 33 xx 10
1088 m/s
m/s
104 waves
Example 1. Light from a Helium-Neon laser
has a wavelength of 632 nm. What is the
frequency of this wave?

The Helium Neon Laser Wavelength

Laser  = 632 nm

c3 x 108 m/s
c f f  
 632 x 10-9 m

ff == 4.75
4.75 x 1014Hz
x 1014
Hz Red light
 Properties of Light
Any
Any study
study ofof the
the nature
nature of
of light
light must
must
explain
explain the
the following
following observed
observed properties:
properties:

• Rectilinear propagation: Light travels in

straight lines.
• Reflection: Light striking a smooth surface
turns back into the original medium.
• Refraction: Light bends when entering a
transparent medium.
 The Nature of Light
Physicists have
Physicists have studied
studied light
light for
for centuries,
centuries, finding
finding
that itit sometimes
that sometimes behaves
behaves as as aa particle
particle and
and
sometimes as
sometimes as aa wave.
wave. Actually,
Actually, both
both are
are correct!
correct!

Reflection and
rectilinear propagation Dispersion of white
(straight line path) light into colors.
 Photons and Light Rays
Light may be thought of as little bundles of waves
emitted in discrete packets called photons.

photons

The wave treatment uses rays to show

the direction of advancing wave fronts.
Light
Light rays
rays are
are
Light convenient
convenient forfor
ray describing
describing how
how
light
light behaves.
behaves.
 Light Rays and Shadows
A geometric analysis may be made of shadows
by tracing light rays from a point light source:

shadow
Point
source
screen

The
The dimensions
dimensions of
of the
the shadow
shadow can
can be
be found
found
by
by using
using geometry
geometry and
and known
known distances.
distances.
Example 2: The diameter of the ball is 4 cm
and it is located 20 cm from the point light
source. If the screen is 80 cm from the
source, what is the diameter of the shadow?

h 4 cm The
The ratio
ratio of
of
 shadow
shadow to to
80 cm 20 cm
the
the source
source
4 cm h isis same
same asas
that
that ofof ball
ball
20 cm
to
to source.
source.
80 cm
Therefore:
Therefore:
(4 cm)(80 cm)
h h = 16 cm
20 cm
Shadows of Extended Objects
penumbra

Extended
source

umbra

• The
The umbra
umbra is the
is the region
region where
where no light
no light reaches
the reaches
screen. the screen.
• The penumbra is the outer area where
only part of the light reaches the screen.
 The Sensitivity Curve
Human eyes are not
Sensitivity curve
equally sensitive to 555 nm
all colors.

Sensitivity
Eyes are most sensi-
400 nm
tive in the mid-range 700 nm
near = 555 nm.
Wavelength 

Yellow
Yellow light
light appears
appears brighter
brighter
40 W to
to the
the eye
eye than
than does
does red
red light.
light.
40 W
 Luminous Flux
Luminous flux is the portion of total radiant power
that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.

Typically only about 10%

of the power (flux) emitted
from a light bulb falls in
the visible region.

The unit for luminous flux is the lumen which

will be given a quantitative definition later.
 A Solid Angle: Steradians
Working
Working with
with luminous
luminous flux
flux requires
requires the
the use
use of
of aa
solid
solid angle
angle measure
measure called
called the
the steradian
steradian (sr).
(sr).

AA solid
solid angle
angle ofof one
one
steradian
steradian ((1 1 sr ) isis
sr) R A
subtended
subtended at at the
the
center
center ofof aa sphere
sphere 
by
by an area AA equal
an area equal A
to The
to the
the square
square of of its
its  2
radius ( R 22). Steradian R
radius ( R ).
Example 3. What solid angle is subtended at
the center of a sphere by an area of 1.6 m2?
The radius of the sphere is 5 m.

R A
A
 2
5m R
1.6 m2
2
 1.60 m
 2
(5.00 m)
The A
 2
Steradian 
R == 0.00640
0.00640 sr
sr
 The Lumen as a Unit of Flux
One lumen (lm) is the luminous flux emitted from
a 1/60 cm2 opening in a standard source and
included in a solid angle of one steradian (1 sr).
In practice, sources of light are usually rated
by comparison to a commercially prepared
standard light source.

A typical 100-W incandescent

light bulb emits a total radiant
power of about 1750 lm. This is
for light emitted in all directions.
 The Lumen in Power Units
Recalling that luminous flux is really radiant
power allows us to define the lumen as follows:

One
One lumen
lumen isis equal
equal to
to 1/680
1/680 W
W of
of yellow-
yellow-
green
green light
light of
of wavelength
wavelength 555
555 nm.
nm.
A disadvantage of this Sensitivity curve
approach is the need to
refer to sensitivity curves
to determine the flux for
different colors of light. Wavelength 
 Luminous Intensity
The luminous intensity I for a light source
is the luminous flux per unit solid angle.

Luminous intensity:
 F F
I I
 
Unit is the candela (cd)

AA source
source having
having an
an intensity
intensity of
of one
one candela
candela
emits aa flux
emits flux of
of one
one lumen
lumen per
per steradian.
steradian.
 Total flux for Isotropic Source
An isotropic source emits in = 4 sr
all directions; i.e., over a
solid angle of 4 steradians.
Thus, for such F F
a source, the I  
intensity is:  4

flux: FF =
Total flux:
Total = 4I
4I

The flux confined to area A is:  R

3m

FF == II AA
 Example 4. A 30 cd spotlight is located 3 m
above a table. The beam is focused on a surface
area of 0.4 m2. Find the intensity of the beam.
flux: FF =
Total flux:
Total = 4I
4I
FT = 4(30 cd) = 377 lm  R
3m
The luminous intensity of
the beam depends on 
A 0.4 m 2
 2  2
;   0.0444 sr Beam Intensity:
R (3 m)
F
I 
754 lm II == 8490
8490 cd
cd
 0.0444 sr
 Illumination of a Surface
The illumination EE of
The illumination surface AA isis defined
of aa surface defined asas
the luminous
the luminous flux
flux per
per unit
unit area F/A)) in
area ((F/A in lumens
lumens
per square
per square meter
meter which
which isis renamed
renamed aa luxlux (lx).
(lx).

An illumination
An illumination of of one
one lux
lux Illumination, E
occurs when
occurs when aa flux
flux of
of
one lumen
one lumen falls
falls on
on an
an
area of
area of one
one square
square 
R
meter.
meter.
F
E Unit: lux (lx) Area A
A
Illumination Based on Intensity
The illumination EE of
The illumination of aa surface
surface isis directly
directly
proportional
proportional to
to the intensity II and
the intensity and inversely
inversely
proportional
proportional to
to the
the square
square of
of the
the distance
distance RR..

F F
E  ; I  ; F  I 
A  R
I A
E but   2 so that
A R Area A
I This equation applies for
Illumination, E  2
R perpendicular surfaces.
Example 5. A 400-cd light is located 2.4 m
from a tabletop of area 1.2 m2. What is the
illumination and what flux F falls on the table?
I 400 cd
E 2  
R (2.40 m) 2
R

Illumination: E = 69.4 lx

Now, recalling that E = F/A, we find F from:

F = EA = (69.4 lx)(1.20 m2) F = 93.3 lm

The Inverse Square Relationship
I E/9
E 2
R E/4 9 m2
E 4 m2
1 m2 3m
2m
1m

If the intensity is 36 lx at 1 m, it will

be 9 lx at 2 m and only 4 lx at 3 m.
 Summary
Light
Light may
may bebe defined
defined asas electromagnetic
electromagnetic radiation
radiation
that
that isis capable
capable of
of affecting
affecting the
the sense
sense of
of sight.
sight.

General Properties of Light:

• Rectilinear propagation
• Reflection
• Refraction
c = fc = 3 x 10 88 m/s
c = fc = 3 x 10 m/s

Red,  Violet, 
700 nm 400 nm
 Summary (Continued)
The formation of shadows:
penumbra

Extended
source

umbra

Luminous flux is the portion of total radiant power

that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.
 Summary (Continued)
Luminous intensity:
R A F
I
 
A Unit is the candela (cd)
The
 2
Steradian R
F
flux: FF =
Total flux: = 4I
4I E Unit: lux (lx)
Total A
 Summary (Cont.)
I
Illumination, E  2 Illumination, E
R

E/9

R
9 m2 E/4
4 m2 E
1 m2
3m Area A
2m
1m