ASTR 152 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Refraction, Photometer, Spherical Aberration
Document Summary
Wave-like properties em radiation can be viewed as electric and magnetic fields that travel together through space as waves. Wavelength the distance between two successive crests or troughs (designated by greek letter lambda; uses units such as m, cm, nm, etc. Frequency the number of wave crests passing by a given point in space per unit of time (designated by f; its basic unit is hertz, or hz). Speed how fast the waves travel (designated by c); constant for em. Particle-like properties em waves travel through empty space (like particles can), and each wave carries a fixed amount of energy. Refraction when waves of em radiation travel from one medium into another, they will refract/bend in such a way that longer wavelengths refract/bend less, and shorter wavelengths refract/bend more. Dispersion when sunlight passes through a prism, the light breaks up into various colors of the rainbow. Visible light wavelengths from about 400 nm 700 nm.
