The Nature of Light
Light is electromagnetic radiation, a form of energy that travels in waves. The term usually refers to visible light, a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye.
- For interferometry, we are interested in the wave properties of light.
A light wave showing the electric and magnetic components of the wave
Zygo
Wave Anatomy
It is important to know the definitions of the characteristics which describe a wave. A typical transverse wave and its components are shown below.
Anatomy of a Wave
MCL
Definitions:
- Crest is the highest point of the wave.
- Trough is the lowest point of the wave.
- Amplitude (corresponds to energy of the wave) is the distance from the baseline to a crest of trough.
- Wavelength (corresponds to the frequency and speed of the wave) is the distance between two corresponding points on neighboring waves.
Knowledge Check:
- What is white light?
- Can you define the parts of a wave?
For further reading on Electromagnetic Radiation, see Wikipedia page.
For further reading on White Light, see Wikipedia page.
For further reading on Wave Anatomy, see APlusPhysics.com page on Wave Characteristics.