Tink
,
Monday, 23rd of August 2010 01:03:30 PM
Hello everyone, I've got a question that l know has been answered, but some
Tink
in confusing or even contradictory ways!
So my question is this:
Registered User
does something like glass, due to its chemical properties, actually absorb
Joined: Sunday, 9th of May 2010, 01:56:19
most of the light that hits it, then transmits said energy to the next
Posts: 525
atom, etc until the light is energy reaches the opposite edge and is
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emitted close to what it was before?
All in all, would this
mean glass, if it did not have the properties it does, be as opaque as a
steel plate?
Thanks folks.
l understand that there are
minimums and maximums for the wavelengths that will pass through, but I am
trying to figure out exactly *how* light passes through...'zooms right
through' is not really what l need, sorry apl ;)
haboulz
,
Tuesday, 24th of August 2010 12:38:21 PM
I will be assuming that you meant ''transparent to visible
haboulz
light light with a wavelength between ~ 400nm to 700nm. Substances
Registered User
transparent to visible light do not absorb visible light. The light just
Joined: Wednesday, 26th of May 2010, 23:01:10
zooms through them. Besides, more precisely, the color is determined by
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the chemical structure, f. ex. if there are many C=C bond close to each
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other, if a metallic ion is surrounded by some special molecules,say Cu2+
surrounded by H2O moleculles, etc. Also, if the substance absorbs light &
reemmit, the emission is normally not exactly where it absorbed, the
emmited light has less energy, lower frequency (longer wavelength) than
the absorbed light. This process (absorption & subsequent emission) is
called fluorescence (almost immediate emission) or phosphorescence (a bit
slower). Finally, for ALL SUBSTANCES, there is ALWAYS a wavelenght below
which they're opaque!