Visible Spectrum Infrared And Ultraviolet Light

Ultraviolet light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that precedes the color violet in the light spectrum.

Visible spectrum infrared and ultraviolet light.

Fireflies light bulbs and stars all emit visible light. The sun is the best known source of ultraviolet rays. In space infrared light helps us map the dust between stars. Other wavelengths especially near infrared longer than 760 nm and ultraviolet shorter than 380 nm are also sometimes referred to as light especially when the visibility to humans is not relevant.

You can test yourself using a prism and a sheet of paper. It is also known as the optical spectrum of light or the spectrum of white light. Ultraviolet radiation is emitted by the sun and are the reason skin tans and burns. Non ionizing radiation is found in a wide range of occupational settings and can pose a considerable health risk.

White light is a combination of lights of different wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Ultraviolet uv light has shorter wavelengths than visible light. Light also referred to in professional literature as radiation is best thought of as a spectrum consisting of ultraviolet light uv at the short end visible light in the center and infrared ir wavelengths at the long end. Some people can see further into the ultraviolet and infrared ranges than others so the visible light edges of red and violet are not well defined.

Night vision goggles pick up the infrared light emitted by our skin and objects with heat. It ranges in wavelength from approximately 400 nanometers 4 x 10 7 m which is violet to 700 nm 7 x 10 7 m which is red. Ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths than visible light with lengths of 10 to 400 nanometers. This is similar to how a dog can hear the sound of a whistle just outside the hearing range of humans.

Also seeing well into one end of the spectrum doesn t necessarily mean you can see well into the other end of the spectrum. Hot objects in space emit uv radiation as well. Although the solar corona is a source of extreme ultraviolet and x ray radiation these rays make up only a very small amount of the power output of the sun see spectrum at right. The only direct signature of the nuclear process is the emission of neutrinos.

The sun also emits x rays ultraviolet visible light infrared and even radio waves. While invisible to humans as with infrared light we can see the effects. Our eyes detect visible light. Essentially that equates to the colors the human eye can see.

Although uv waves are invisible to the human eye some insects such as bumblebees can see them.