PCS 181 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Electromagnetic Spectrum, Nanometre, Reproducibility

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Physics
• Course: PCS 181
• Professor: Margaret Buckby

Document Summary

The scientific method: observation, hypothesis, experiment, conclusion, reproducibility, and is falsifiable. Wow signal from the aliens in 1977. Unit 1 (the electromagnetic spectrum) (the em spectrum) Kalvin and celsius differ after -273 celsius (coldest as it can get) or 0 kalvin. Chemical composition, motion (where star is moving), pressure (in the star), magnetic fields, etc. Wavelength = distance between any two identical points. (peaks) Light: mutually perpendicular oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Light: moves in wavelike pattern at a speed of c = 3 x 10^8 m/s. Wavelength -> color created at (1 x 10^9) 1 nanometer = 1nm = 1million"th of a meter= 1 x 10^-9 m = 10^-9 m = 1x10^9. Y(lambda)^red = 700 nm = 700 x 10^-9m = 7 x 10^-7m. Y(lambda)^violet = 400nm = 400 x 10^-9m = 4 x 10^-7m. Photons: bundles of energy -> lights as a particle. Short wavelengths: gamma rays, x rays, and uv have high energy.