molecular madness

L.E.D.

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 4, 2001
Messages
984
Location
Arizona
ripped (copied from)http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/light/U12L2c.html
We have previously learned that visible light waves consists of a continuous range of wavelengths or frequencies. When a light wave with a single frequency strikes an object, a number of things could happen. The light wave could be absorbed by the object, in which case its energy is converted to heat; the light wave could be reflected by the object; and the light wave could be transmitted by the object. Rarely however does just a single frequency of light strike an object. While it does happen, it is more usual that light of many frequencies or even all frequencies are incident towards the surface of objects. When this occurs, objects have a tendency to selectively absorb, reflect or transmit light of certain frequencies. That is, one object might reflect green light while absorbing all other frequencies of visible light. Another object might selectively transmit blue light while absorbing all other frequencies of visible light. The manner in which visible light interacts with an object is dependent upon the frequency of the light and the nature of the atoms of the object. In this section of Lesson 2 we will discuss how and why light of certain frequencies can be selectively absorbed, reflected or transmitted.

Atoms and molecules contain electrons. It is often useful to think of these electrons as being attached to the atoms by springs. The electrons and their attached springs have a tendency to vibrate at specific frequencies. Similar to a tuning fork or even a musical instrument, the electrons of atoms have a natural frequency at which they tend to vibrate. When a light wave with that same natural frequency impinges upon an atom, then the electrons of that atom will be set into vibrational motion. (This is merely another example of the resonance principle introduced in Unit 11 of The Physics Classroom.) If a light wave of a given frequency strikes a material with electrons having the same vibrational frequencies, then those electrons will absorb the energy of the light wave and transform it into vibrational motion. During its vibrations, the electrons interacts with neighboring atoms in such a manner as to convert its vibrational energy into thermal energy. Subsequently, the light wave with that given frequency is absorbed by the object, never again to be released in the form of light. So the selective absorption of light by a particular material occurs because the selected frequency of the light wave matches the frequency at which electrons in the atoms of that material vibrate. someguy please read---------->Since different atoms and molecules have different natural frequencies of vibration,<------- they will selectively absorb different frequencies of visible light.

I could easily call it atomic or molecular frequency and it wouldn't be wrong. It would just be sort of simplified. the temperature is a measure of how fast (the frequency) a molecule is vibrating, so I could call it that. Oh yeah, someguy, I can try to sound smart if i want to, don't try to tell me how to express myself. For anyone who doesn't know what I am talking about, I called heat molecular frequency and then someguy told me this: Don't try to sound smart.
 

L.E.D.

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 4, 2001
Messages
984
Location
Arizona
I'm very sorry, but it was my X5 thread i made, and i deleted it because i was quite offended at the comment that someguy made and i replied something really mean and then i put edit on the first post, the actual topic, to delete it, and i accidentally deleted the whole topic thinking i was only deleting the mean comment i replied.
 

Daniel Ramsey

Retired Account
Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Messages
901
Location
Wasilla, Alaska, \
I know that feeling coldlight
smile.gif
I got upset and spent 3 days deleting my posts, point is....don't get me upset
grin.gif
Perhaps there may be a way to "lock" the threads by a topic starter so only the moderators can unlock it in the future, it made me feel really sad that i let my friends down by deleting their hard and well thought out comments, it may never be for me to start another topic....so much power...
wink.gif
 
Top