VISIBLE LIGHT

Presented by:
Mark Dee, Danielle Ella, Shantal Gamboa,
and Yuki Harada of 10 - Marawi

Definition

The wavelengths that are

visible to most human eyes.

Nature and Properties

An electromagnetic wave that we can see.

Occupies only a very small portion of the total EM spectrum.

Approximate of Wavelength Range (m): 10-7

Shorter wavelength than infrared waves.

Approximate of Frequency Range: (4.0 x 1014)-(7.0 x 1014)

Longer frequency than infrared waves.

Activate receptors in our eyes.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
(VISIBLE LIGHT)

The longest wavelengths in

visible light are red. As the
wavelengths decrease and the
frequency increase, you can see
the colors of light. The shortest
wavelengths are purple or violet.

Sourc
Sun, vast majority of the light visible to us.
es

Artificial Sources such as fluorescent and

incandescent tungsten devices.
Natural Light Sources such as stars, moon, meteors,
and etc.
Biological Light Sources such as fireflies, jellyfishes,
and etc.
Incandescent; Fluorescent; Laser Light

Uses
Cones in our eyes are receivers for these
tinyvisible light waves. The Sun is a
natural source forvisible lightwaves and
our eyes see the reflection of this sunlight
off the objects around us. The color of an
object that we see is the color of
lightreflected. All other colors are
absorbed.

Effect
s

Life on earth is dependent on visible light radiation. Without it, food chains would fall
apart and surface temperatures would plummet; although visible light is integral to
our survival and is beneficial in many ways, it is capable of causing negative effects as
well.

On Plants
Plants rely on the energy provided by visible light to power their photosynthetic cycle,
allowing them to make simple sugars from components found in their environment.
Without light, photosynthetic plants would exhaust their energy supplies and die.
On Humans
Besides relying on photosynthetic sources of food, humans also need sunlight to
function. According to Lisa Conti of Scientific American, lack of sunlight can prevent
synthesis of neurotransmitters, leading to depression and brain damage.

Eye Problems
A study by Taylor et al. in Archives of Ophthalmology links
excessive exposure to visible light, especially in the blue
spectrum, to age-related macular degeneration.
On Inanimate Objects
Light in the visible spectrum can cause photo degradation of
pigments and colorants. While not as powerful as UV light at
causing fading, blue and violet light can cause a similar
though lesser effect.
Polymer Breakdown
In many plastics and polymers, sunlight can cause a
breakdown of the object's molecular structure, making the

Gadget used to detect

the E. M.
RPR 220/Reflective
Photoelectric Detector

Prism

Thermal Imaging Monocular

References
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/lightandcolor/lightsourcesintro.html
http://www.livescience.com/50678-visible-light.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23111621
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5580513_effects-visible-light-radiation.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOnXkEDQ6e8 (VIDEO REFERRENCE)
Physical Science by Prentice Hall; Physics by Wilson Buffa