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The study of light and the interaction of light and matter is termed optics. The observation and study of optical phenomena such as rainbows and the aurora borealis offer many clues as to the nature of light. A transparent object allows light to transmit or pass through.
By definition, visible light is the part of the EM spectrum the human eye is the most sensitive to. Visible light (and near-infrared light) is typically absorbed and emitted by electrons in molecules and atoms that move from one energy level to another. This action allows the chemical mechanisms that underlie human vision and plant photosynthesis.
It is not so difficult to experimentally observe non-uniform deposition of energy when light is absorbed, however this alone is not evidence of "particulate" behavior. Rather, it reflects the quantum nature of matter. [20] Demonstrating that the light itself is quantized, not merely its interaction with matter, is a more subtle affair.
Exposure to non-ionizing ultraviolet light is a risk factor for developing skin cancer (especially non-melanoma skin cancers), sunburn, premature aging of skin, and other effects. Despite the possible hazards it is beneficial to humans in the right dosage, since Vitamin D is produced due to the biochemical effects of ultraviolet light.
A photon (from Ancient Greek φῶς, φωτός (phôs, phōtós) 'light') is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force.
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. [1] Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible , ultraviolet , and infrared light.
An example of this phenomenon is when clean air scatters blue light more than red light, and so the midday sky appears blue (apart from the area around the Sun which appears white because the light is not scattered as much). The optical window is also referred to as the "visible window" because it overlaps the human visible response spectrum.
In this description, the propagation of light is transportation of matter. However by the turn of the century, beginning with Thomas Young 's double-slit experiment in 1801, more evidence in the form of novel experiments on diffraction , interference , and polarization showcased issues with the theory.