<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Phet explorations: color vision

Make a whole rainbow by mixing red, green, and blue light. Change the wavelength of a monochromatic beam or filter white light. View the light as a solid beam, or see the individual photons.

Color Vision

Test prep for ap courses

A microwave oven produces electromagnetic radiation in the radio portion of the spectrum. These microwave photons are absorbed by water molecules, resulting in an increase in the molecules’ rotational energies. This added energy is transferred by heat to the surrounding food, which as a result becomes hot very quickly. If the energy absorbed by a water molecule is 1.0 × 10 –5 eV, what is the corresponding wavelength of the microwave photons?

  1. 1.22 GHz
  2. 2.45 GHz
  3. 4.90 GHz
  4. 9.80 Hz

(b)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

In the intensity versus frequency curve for x rays ( [link] ), the intensity is mostly a smooth curve associated with bremsstrahlung (“breaking radiation”). However, there are two spikes (characteristic x rays) that exhibit high-intensity output. Explain how the smooth curve can be described by classical electrodynamics, whereas the peaks require a quantum mechanical interpretation. (Recall that the acceleration or deceleration of electric charges causes the emission of electromagnetic radiation.)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Section summary

  • Photon energy is responsible for many characteristics of EM radiation, being particularly noticeable at high frequencies.
  • Photons have both wave and particle characteristics.

Conceptual questions

Why are UV, x rays, and γ size 12{γ} {} rays called ionizing radiation?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

How can treating food with ionizing radiation help keep it from spoiling? UV is not very penetrating. What else could be used?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Some television tubes are CRTs. They use an approximately 30-kV accelerating potential to send electrons to the screen, where the electrons stimulate phosphors to emit the light that forms the pictures we watch. Would you expect x rays also to be created?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Tanning salons use “safe” UV with a longer wavelength than some of the UV in sunlight. This “safe” UV has enough photon energy to trigger the tanning mechanism. Is it likely to be able to cause cell damage and induce cancer with prolonged exposure?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Your pupils dilate when visible light intensity is reduced. Does wearing sunglasses that lack UV blockers increase or decrease the UV hazard to your eyes? Explain.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

One could feel heat transfer in the form of infrared radiation from a large nuclear bomb detonated in the atmosphere 75 km from you. However, none of the profusely emitted x rays or γ size 12{γ} {} rays reaches you. Explain.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Can a single microwave photon cause cell damage? Explain.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

In an x-ray tube, the maximum photon energy is given by hf = qV . size 12{ ital "hf"= ital "qV"} {} Would it be technically more correct to say hf = qV + BE, size 12{ ital "hf"= ital "qV"+"BE"} {} where BE is the binding energy of electrons in the target anode? Why isn’t the energy stated the latter way?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Problems&Exercises

What is the energy in joules and eV of a photon in a radio wave from an AM station that has a 1530-kHz broadcast frequency?

6.34 × 10 9 eV size 12{6 "." "34" times "10" rSup { size 8{ - 9} } " eV"} {} , 1.01 × 10 27 J size 12{6 "." "34" times "10" rSup { size 8{ - 9} } " eV"} {}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

(a) Find the energy in joules and eV of photons in radio waves from an FM station that has a 90.0-MHz broadcast frequency. (b) What does this imply about the number of photons per second that the radio station must broadcast?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Practice Key Terms 9

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, College physics for ap® courses. OpenStax CNX. Nov 04, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11844/1.14
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'College physics for ap® courses' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask