Visible Light

As the full spectrum of visible light travels through a prism the wavelengths separate into the colors of the rainbow because each color is a different wavelength.

Visible light. Visible light synonyms visible light pronunciation visible light translation english dictionary definition of visible light. Generally visible light is defined as the. In terms of frequency this corresponds to a band in the vicinity of 405 790 thz. The portion of the spectrum where visible light can be found corresponds closely to the short wavelength less than 5 cm light that best penetrates the earth atmosphere s optical window.

The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400 700 nanometers nm or 4 00 10 7 to 7 00 10 7 m between the infrared with longer wavelengths and the ultraviolet with shorter wavelengths. 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. Essentially that equates to the colors the human eye can see.

Hence it is called visible light. Since visible light is a form of a wave it is defined by its characteristic wavelength and frequency. Visible light is a form of electromagnetic em radiation as are radio waves infrared radiation ultraviolet radiation x rays and microwaves. Visible light is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that falls between infrared and ultraviolet radiation.

Violet has the shortest wavelength at around 380 nanometers and red has the longest wavelength at around 700 nanometers. It is also known as the optical spectrum of light or the spectrum of white light. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light or simply light a typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 380 to 740 nanometers.