Nature of LIGHT

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

 He formulated his theory of the corpuscular
nature of light in the 17th century.

 He stated that light consists of tiny particles

or corpuscles emitted from hot bodies.

 He made white light coming from the sun pass

through a glass prism. Using this, he was able
to provide an explanation on the reflection and
bending of light as he presented in his book
Optiks (1704).
 Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695)
 A Dutch physicist offered a complete
explanation of the reflection of light by
means of wave theory.

 The Wave Theory states that the light has a

wave motion which starts from a vibrating
body and is transmitted at high speed.

 He also proposed that, under some

circumstances, light does spread out.
(Diffraction)
Thomas Young (1773-1829)
 In 1801, he observed the interference
and diffraction phenomena of light which
can only be explained on the basis of
wave theory.
 James Clerk Maxwell (1831 - 1879)
 In 1860, the wave theory of Huygens was further
established when James Clerk Maxwell predicted
that changing electric and magnetic fields could
propagate through space as electromagnetic waves
and that light itself is an electromagnetic wave.
 In 1880, Maxwell’s theory was confirmed when
Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of
electromagnetic waves when he discovered radio
waves.
 Maxwell’s assumptions were supported by the radio
waves produced by Hertz which also shared common
properties with light such as reflection.
Max Planck (1858-1974)
 In 1990, the quantum theory of light started
when he introduced his postulates to explain
blackbody radiation.

 A blackbody is a surface or object that is

capable of absorbing all radiation falling on it.

 He proposed that energy comes in discrete

units called quanta.
 Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
 In 1905, he theorized that light is composed
of bundles of wave energy called photons, in
agreement with Planck’s findings.

Arthur Compton (1892-1962)

 In 1923, on his experiments showed that
photons of X rays decreased in energy when
colliding with electrons.

 This suggested that radiation, including light,

behaves like a particle.
 Loius-Victor de Broglie (1892-1987)
 He extended the possibility further by
proposing that matter can have wave
properties and thus reinforced the fact that
light, and even matter has a dual nature.

 From the experiment conducted, light is

described as an electromagnetic radiation
that has a wavelength in the range from about
4,000 (violet) to about 7,700 (red) angstroms
(A) and may be perceived by the normal
unaided human eye.
 Sources of Light
 Luminous objects
Any object that sends out their own light. It
gives off its own light because of the energy of
its oscillating particles. (ex. Sun, electric bulb,
tube light and fires and flames)

 Illuminated objects
An object that can be seen because it
reflects light waves. These are objects that are
capable of reflecting light to our eyes. (ex.
Moon, Earth, objects like table, chair, windows
and etc.)
How light can be produced?
 Incandescence
In incandescence, light is produced when atoms
of an object are heated. This causes the atoms to
vibrate and give off energy in the form of
electromagnetic radiation.

 Luminescence
Luminescence, emission of light by certain
materials when they are relatively cool.
Luminescence may be seen in neon and fluorescent
lamps; television, radar, and X-ray fluoroscope
screens
 Types of Luminescence
1.Chemiluminescence – is caused by
chemical reaction.

2.Bioluminescence – occurs if a chemical

reaction takes place in a living organism.
3. Triboluminescence – it is results from
breaking, scratching or pulling apart of
certain materials.

4. Electroluminescence – is created by
gas in the path of an electrical discharge
such as light of a fluorescent lamp.
5. Photoluminescence – is created when
certain materials are irradiated by visible
light or ultraviolet light.

6. Roentgenoluminescence – is produced
by X rays bombarding certain materials.

7. Sonoluminescence – observed in some

organic liquids, by ultrahigh-frequency
sound waves or ultrasound.