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Optical phenomena are any observable events that result from the interaction of light and matter. All optical phenomena coincide with quantum phenomena. [1] Common optical phenomena are often due to the interaction of light from the Sun or Moon with the atmosphere, clouds, water, dust, and other particulates.
By recording the attenuation of light for various wavelengths, an absorption spectrum can be obtained. In physics , absorption of electromagnetic radiation is how matter (typically electrons bound in atoms ) takes up a photon 's energy —and so transforms electromagnetic energy into internal energy of the absorber (for example, thermal energy ).
Another example is incandescent light bulbs, which emit only around 10% of their energy as visible light and the remainder as infrared. A common thermal light source in history is the glowing solid particles in flames, but these also emit most of their radiation in the infrared and only a fraction in the visible spectrum.
The former sense is sometimes called luminous efficacy of radiation, [4] and the latter luminous efficacy of a light source [5] or overall luminous efficacy. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] Not all wavelengths of light are equally visible, or equally effective at stimulating human vision, due to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye ; radiation in the infrared ...
Light with the same radiant intensity at other wavelengths has a lower luminous intensity. The curve which represents the response of the human eye to light is a defined standard function y (λ) or V (λ) established by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE, for Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage ) and standardized in ...
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.
The lumen (symbol: lm) is the unit of luminous flux, a measure of the perceived power of visible light emitted by a source, in the International System of Units (SI). ). Luminous flux differs from power (radiant flux), which encompasses all electromagnetic waves emitted, including non-visible ones such as thermal radiation
This is a list of sources of light, the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum.Light sources produce photons from another energy source, such as heat, chemical reactions, or conversion of mass or a different frequency of electromagnetic energy, and include light bulbs and stars like the Sun. Reflectors (such as the moon, cat's eyes, and mirrors) do not actually produce the light that ...