Tag Archives: ultraviolet

Ultraviolet Catastrophe

While we discussed in class the importance of blackbody spectra continuous spectra, there is an important historical footnote in understanding where the famous blackbody curve arises from. Physics in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s predicted the wavelength-intensity relationship to be I α 1/λ^4, using a derivation based on classical statistical mechanics. This relationship closelyContinue reading “Ultraviolet Catastrophe” Continue reading

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“The Incandescent Sun”

Source Check out this video from NASA of the Sun over a 24-hour period of time! The video frames are measuring output in extreme ultraviolet. According to this article, viewing the Sun in this wavelength allows us to view the plasma in its atmosphere (called Corona). But what is interesting is that the same magnetic […] Continue reading

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Types of Light

The electromagnetic spectrum consists of radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light waves, ultraviolet waves, X-rays, and gamma rays. Of these seven types, humans can only sense visible light waves, […] Continue reading

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