LIGHTING

AND
ACOUSTI
CS
 WHAT IS LIGHT?

Light is what's called an

electromagnetic
wave. It is a form of radiation.

Architectural lighting design is a field of work or study that is concerned with the design of
It is an  lighting systems within the built environment, both interior and exterior. It can include
electromagnetic radiation manipulation and design of both daylight and electric light or both, to serve human needs.
 within the portion of the 
electromagnetic spectrum
 that is perceived by the 
human eye.  .
 HOW LIGHT IS
FORMED?
THE CONCLUSIO
PROCESS N

• In the center of every atom  is a tiny, dense nucleus. The nucleus contains two Light is made up of photons, which are like
kinds of particles: neutrons, which have no charge, and positively charged tiny packets of energy. When an object's atoms
protons. heat up, photon are produced from the
movement of atoms. The hotter the object, the
• Negatively charged particles called electrons orbit around the nucleus in different more photons are produced.
layers, or orbitals. There is a vast space between the nucleus and the electron
orbitals. In a gold atom, if the nucleus were one foot in diameter, then the
outermost electron would be 3.3 miles away.

• These orbitals surrounding the nucleus have different levels of energy - the farther
away each is from the nucleus, the more energy it has.

• In each orbital, electrons are moving at the speed of light.

• But electrons can also jump between orbitals, a process that takes energy. 

• If electrons jump to an outer orbital, they use energy. But if they jump to an
inner orbital, they give up energy. This energy is released as a tiny packet of
light energy, or a photon.
 WAVE
A wave is a disturbance in a medium that carries energy without a net movement of particles. It may take the form of elastic
deformation, a variation of pressure, electric or magnetic intensity, electric potential, or temperature.

Introduction of Waves
• Transfers energy.
• Usually involves a periodic, repetitive Movement.
• Does not result in a net movement of the medium or particles in the medium (mechanical wave).

The vertical distance between the tip of a crest and the wave’s central axis is known as its amplitude. This is the property associated with the
brightness, or intensity, of the wave. The horizontal distance between two consecutive troughs or crests is known as the wavelength of the
wave. These lengths can be visualized as follows:
 Electromagnetic waves can be described by their
wavelengths, energy, and frequency.
Frequency is measured in cycles per
second, or Hertz.

Wavelength is measured in meters.

Energy is measured in electron volts.

 Wavelength (l)
• Light waves are vibrations in the electromagnetic field.
• The wavelength of a light wave is measured as the distance between two wave crests.
• Light wavelengths can vary greatly; for example, radio waves can be about the size of small buildings, while gamma rays are
subatomic size.

How is the Wavelength of Light Calculated?

As light has the properties of a wave and a particle, it can be expressed in two equations:
ν=λfν=λf………………..(1)
E=hfE=hf…………….(2)

Where,
•νν is the velocity of the light.
•λλ is the wavelength of the light.
•ff is the frequency of the light.
•EE is the energy of the light wave.
•hh is the Planck’s Constant i.e. 6.64×10−34joule⋅second6.64×10−34joule⋅second

Here, the first equation denotes the wave nature of the light and the second equation denotes the particle nature of the light.
 FREQUENCY (f)
A hertz is defined as the number of oscillations or repeats of a cycle in one second. For a wave, it is how many
wavelengths occur in one second
f= 1/T
All light travels at the same speed no matter its frequency, so light with a longer wavelength has a smaller frequency
(since fewer waves pass by in one second) and light with a shorter wavelength has a larger frequency (more waves
pass by per second). An equation can relate frequency and wavelength.
C = λf
Where:
• c = speed of light, which is a constant, about 3⋅108m/s
• λ = wavelength in meters
• f = frequency in Hertz

Each type of em radiation on the spectrum has a frequency range associated with it.
• Radio: <109Hz
• Microwave: 109−1011Hz
• Infrared: 1011−1914Hz
• X-Ray: 1017−1019
• Gamma Ray: >1019
What is Visible Spectrum?
• The visible spectrum is nothing but the observable region of the electromagnetic wave
 which is visible to human eyes.
• In the electromagnetic spectrum, the visible spectrum ranges from the infrared region to
the UV region.
• The visible light lies in between the infrared and ultraviolet range of wavelengths. 
• The human eye can detect the light spectrum ranging from 400 nanometers (violet) to
about 700 nanometers (red). Other electromagnetic radiations are either too small or too
large to capture for the human eye and are out of biological limitations.
• We can see these waves as the colours of the rainbow where each colour includes a
different wavelength. We can also see the sun’s outermost layer – the corona in the visible
light.

• When the visible light travels

through a prism, the visible light
gets separated into a spectrum
of colour.
• Red colour has the longest
wavelength of 700 nm, and
violet has the shortest
wavelength of 380 nm.
• These colours arrange
themselves according to the
wavelength as the spectrum of
rainbow colours
 WAVELENGTH OF VISIBLE
LIGHT
• Wavelength of the Visible
Light ranges between 400
nm to 700 nm and here we
come to know the
wavelength of various
colours of the visible
spectrum of light.

• The spectrum of visible

light has about numerous
different colours having
different wavelengths.

• The violet colour is said to

have the shortest form of
wavelength whereas red
colour is said to have the
longest wavelength.

• It can also be noticed in

the below-given figure.
The wavelength for various colours of the visible spectrum of light is
provided in the table underneath
 RADIATIONS
• Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through space at the speed of
light.

• This energy has an electric field and a magnetic field associated with it, and has wave-like
properties.

• You could also call radiation “electromagnetic waves”.

• Electromagnetic radiation is produced by charged particles accelerating through space.

• As the charge moves, its electric and magnetic fields oscillate like in figure. This radiation
is also known as an electromagnetic wave as it is composed of alternating electric and 
magnetic fields.

• This type of radiation comes in discrete packets known as photons.

• There are several different types of electromagnetic radiation, and their properties
depend on their energy and wavelength.

• Some of the different types include radio waves, infrared radiation (felt as heat), The electric (red) and magnetic (blue)
microwaves, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, gamma rays, and cosmic rays. fields are changing, causing the
radiation moving to the right.
Long wavelength electromagnetic radiation (radio to visible light waves) are generally non-ionizing.
Shorter wavelength electromagnetic radiation (ultraviolet light to gamma rays) tends to be ionizing .
 1. ALPHA RADIATION
Alpha radiation is a heavy, very short-range particle and is actually an ejected helium nucleus. Some characteristics of
alpha radiation are:

• Most alpha radiation is not able to penetrate human skin.

• Alpha-emitting materials can be harmful to humans if the materials are inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed
through open wounds.

• A variety of instruments has been designed to measure alpha radiation. Special training in the use of these
instruments is essential for making accurate measurements.

• A thin-window Geiger-Mueller (GM) probe can detect the presence of alpha radiation.

• Instruments cannot detect alpha radiation through even a thin layer of water, dust, paper, or other
material, because alpha radiation is not penetrating.

• Alpha radiation travels only a short distance (a few inches) in air, but is not an external hazard.

• Alpha radiation is not able to penetrate clothing.

1.

Examples of some alpha emitters: radium, radon, uranium, thorium.

 2. BETA
RADIATION
Beta radiation is a light, short-range particle and is actually an ejected electron.
Some characteristics of beta radiation are:

Beta radiation may travel several feet in air and is moderately penetrating.

• Beta radiation can penetrate human skin to the "germinal layer," where new
skin cells are produced. If high levels of beta-emitting contaminants are
allowed to remain on the skin for a prolonged period of time, they may cause
skin injury.

• Beta-emitting contaminants may be harmful if deposited internally.

• Most beta emitters can be detected with a survey instrument and a thin-
window GM probe (e.g., "pancake" type). Some beta emitters, however,
produce very low-energy, poorly penetrating radiation that may be difficult or
impossible to detect. Examples of these difficult-to-detect beta emitters are
hydrogen-3 (tritium), carbon-14, and sulfur-35.
• 3. GAMMA AND X RADIATION

• Gamma radiation and x rays are highly penetrating electromagnetic radiation. Some characteristics of these radiations are:

• Gamma radiation or x rays are able to travel many feet in air and many inches in human tissue. They readily penetrate most
materials and are sometimes called "penetrating" radiation.

• X rays are like gamma rays. X rays, too, are penetrating radiation. Sealed radioactive sources and machines that emit gamma
radiation and x rays respectively constitute mainly an external hazard to humans.

• Gamma radiation and x rays are electromagnetic radiation like visible light, radiowaves, and ultraviolet light. These
electromagnetic radiations differ only in the amount of energy they have. Gamma rays and x rays are the most energetic of
these.

• Dense materials are needed for shielding from gamma radiation. Clothing provides little shielding from penetrating radiation,
but will prevent contamination of the skin by gamma-emitting radioactive materials.

• Gamma radiation is easily detected by survey meters with a sodium iodide detector probe.

• Gamma radiation and/or characteristic x rays frequently accompany the emission of alpha and beta radiation during
radioactive decay.
1.

Examples of some gamma emitters: iodine-131, cesium-137, cobalt-60, radium-226, and technetium-99m.
 4.
•
NEUTRONS
Neutrons are building blocks of atomic nuclei.

• Atomic nuclei are made up by protons and neutrons (except hydrogen).

• Neutrons have been known as particles since 1932. Experiments show that their mass is similar to that of protons.

• Whereas protons have a positive charge, neutrons got their name from the fact that they are neutral.

• Today, we know that neutrons are made up by even smaller particles, three quarks.
 PROPERTIES OF LIGHT
• Light travels in a straight line.
• The speed of light is faster than sound. Light travels at a speed of 3
x 108 m/s.

• Reflection of light
Reflection is the phenomenon in which light travelling in one medium,
incident on the surface of another returns to the first medium, obeying
the laws of reflection. According to the laws of reflection
1. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal to the surface at
the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
2. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

• Refraction of light
Refraction is a phenomenon in which there is a change in the speed of
light as it travels from one medium to another and there is a bending of
the ray of light. The refracted ray obeys the following laws.
1. The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal to the surface at
the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
2. For the given pair of media and for the light of the given wavelength,
the ratio of the sin of the angle of incidence to the sin of the angle of
refraction is always a constant.
.
• Dispersion of light
The splitting of a ray of white light into its
constituent colours is called dispersion.
• Diffraction of light
The phenomenon of bending of light around
corners of small obstacles and hence it’s
encroachment into the region of the
geometrical shadow is called diffraction.
• Polarisation of light
Normal light vibrates in all directions perpendicular to
the propagation of light. If the light is constrained to
vibrate in only one particular plane, then the light is
called polarised light. The phenomenon is called
polarisation.
• Interference of light
Interference is the phenomenon of modification in the
intensity of light due to redistribution of light energy in
the region of superposition of two or more light waves
BASIC PARAMETERS
USED IN LIGHTING
Luminous flux – Luminous intensity – Illuminance – Luminance

Ω = solid angle into which

luminous flux is emitted

A = area hit by luminous

flux

AL · cos = visible areas of

light source
ρ = reflectance of area

Pie = 3.14

* = for diffuse surface areas

LUMINOUS FLUX

The luminous flux describes the quantity of light emitted by a light source. The luminous efficiency is the ratio of the luminous
flux to the electrical power consumed (lm/W). It is a measure of a light source’s economic efficiency.
S.I UNIT – Lumen (lm).
I lm is equivalent to 1 candela steradian

LUMINOUS INTENSITY

The luminous intensity describes the quantity of light that is radiated in a particular direction. This is a useful measurement
for directive lighting elements such as reflectors. It is represented by the luminous intensity distribution curve (LDC).
S.I UNIT – one lumen per steradian, which is unit of solid angle.
Unit of luminous intensity is also called Standard candela or candela

ILLUMINACE

Illuminance describes the quantity of luminous flux falling on a surface. Relevant standards specify the required illuminance
(e.g. EN 12464 “Lighting of indoor workplaces”).
S.I UNIT – Lux (lx)

LUMINANCE

Luminance is the only basic lighting parameter that is perceived by the eye. It describes on the one hand a light source’s
impression of brightness, and on the other, a surface and therefore depends to a large extent on the degree of reflection
(colour and surface).
S.I UNIT – Candela/square meter (cd/m2)
Luminous flux – Luminous intensity – Illuminance – Luminance