What type of energy is light energy?

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Light is a form of energy which our sense of sight can detect. It is made of electro-magnetic radiation and travels in a straight path. In everyday we use the word “light” for at least 10 times a day!! Have you ever think about the energy we get from the light. Light is all around us. It has the ability to tan or burn our skins, it can be harnessed to melt metals, or heat our food. Light energy posed a huge challenge for scientist up to the 1950′s.

For our purposes we will use light to mean all of the frequencies of radiation, known as the electromagnetic spectrum or EMS. Light is always in motion and cannot be stored, so it is a kinetic type of energy.

You might say that light is essentially “pure” energy, since it theoretically has no mass. Light is simultaneously a wave and a particle. The higher the frequency, the more energy the light or electromagnetic radiation contains. The greater the frequency, the more energy each particle, called the photon.

Light energy Definition

• Light energy refers to the electromagnetic energy that is visible to the human eye.

• Light energy is energy that travels in straight lines called rays that fan outward from the source of the light?

• Light energy is made of electro-magnetic radiation and travels in a straight path.

Light energy can be classified as several types. They are:

Visible light: Only visible light can be seen through the naked eye. It is a type of electromagnetic energy. The main source of visible light is sun and it can also be emitted by lanterns, flashlight, light bulbs etc.

Infrared Light: It is also a type of electromagnetic energy which emits heat. It is used to switch on your Television with remote since infrared waves travel from your remote to the TV.

X-rays and Ultraviolet light: These are short light waves used by doctors to take photographs inside our body to find out fractures on our bone. Even dentists use x-rays to check the depth of tooth decay.

Key properties of light

Intensity: Intensity of light is the rate at which the light energy is emitted by the source. The power is often expressed in units of watts. Intensity can also be defined as brightness measured at the rate at which light is emitted in a unit of surface or energy per unit time per unit area.

Frequency: Frequency of light is defined as the number of crests which passes through a particular point in a second.

Wavelength: Wavelength of light is defined as the distance between the two consecutive crests or troughs. Light waves pass through a vacuum at the same speed. Wavelength and frequency of lightly related vice versa because the higher the frequency, the shorter is the wavelength.

Polarization: Polarization is a process in which unpolarized light is converted polarized light. In general, light waves vibrate in more than one plane and hence called as unpolarized light.

Phase: It is a particular point in the time period during the cyclic waveform. The intensity of light increases when the waves are in a phase.

Units of Light energy

Light can be measured in several units.

• The wavelength of light λ is measured in both Angstrom and nanometers.
• The frequency of light is measured in Hertz.
• Light energy is measured in electron-volts (eV).

Potential energy is stored energy and the energy of position.

Chemical energy is energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. Batteries, biomass, petroleum, natural gas, and coal are examples of chemical energy. Chemical energy is converted to thermal energy when people burn wood in a fireplace or burn gasoline in a car's engine.

Mechanical energy is energy stored in objects by tension. Compressed springs and stretched rubber bands are examples of stored mechanical energy.

Nuclear energy is energy stored in the nucleus of an atom—the energy that holds the nucleus together. Large amounts of energy can be released when the nuclei are combined or split apart.

Gravitational energy is energy stored in an object's height. The higher and heavier the object, the more gravitational energy is stored. When a person rides a bicycle down a steep hill and picks up speed, the gravitational energy is converting to motion energy. Hydropower is another example of gravitational energy, where gravity forces water down through a hydroelectric turbine to produce electricity.

Kinetic energy is the motion of waves, electrons, atoms, molecules, substances, and objects.

Radiant energy is electromagnetic energy that travels in transverse waves. Radiant energy includes visible light, x-rays, gamma rays, and radio waves. Light is one type of radiant energy. Sunshine is radiant energy, which provides the fuel and warmth that make life on earth possible.

Thermal energy, or heat, is the energy that comes from the movement of atoms and molecules in a substance. Heat increases when these particles move faster. Geothermal energy is the thermal energy in the earth.

Motion energy is energy stored in the movement of objects. The faster they move, the more energy is stored. It takes energy to get an object moving, and energy is released when an object slows down. Wind is an example of motion energy. A dramatic example of motion energy is a car crash—a car comes to a total stop and releases all of its motion energy at once in an uncontrolled instant.

Sound is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal (compression/rarefaction) waves. Sound is produced when a force causes an object or substance to vibrate. The energy is transferred through the substance in a wave. Typically, the energy in sound is smaller than in other forms of energy.

Electrical energy is delivered by tiny charged particles called electrons, typically moving through a wire. Lightning is an example of electrical energy in nature.

Last reviewed: December 13, 2021

What is light energy? The type of kinetic energy that produces forms of light visible to the human eyes is called light energy. What is light? The form of electromagnetic radiation given off by hot physical bodies or things like light bulbs, lasers, and the sun is called light. 

Light carries minute clusters of energy called photons. When the temperature of the atoms of an object increases, photons are formed. The heat energy excites the electrons, and extra energy is produced. The energy that is produced is emitted as photons. More photons are emitted as the temperature of the substance increases. 

When light navigates, it goes from one place to another in the form of waves. But it does not need any matter to carry energy along with it. So, light can easily navigate in the absence of air in space. Sound waves do not have this property. The propagation of light energy is faster than anything else. It travels with a speed of more than 186,281 miles per second. 

Among the diverse types of electromagnetic radiation given off by the sun, visible light is one. The range of all possible radiation frequencies is called the electromagnetic spectrum. It reveals the diverse types of electromagnetic radiations the sun emits, such as x-rays and UV rays. The electromagnetic spectrum distinguishes the different types of radiation energies from the sun. The amount of energy these waves carry corresponds to the difference in their wavelengths. 

Types of Light Energy

There are various types of light energies, including: 

Visible light: The only type of light energy example visible to the naked human eyes is a type of electromagnetic energy called visible light. Sun is the primary source of visible light. However, bulbs and torches also emit it. 

Infrared Light: This form of electromagnetic energy also releases heat. The switching on of the TV with the remote is possible because of the infrared light. This is because the infrared waves navigate from the remote to the television. 

X-rays and Ultraviolet light: These light waves are employed by medical professionals to obtain photographs of the body’s interior to diagnose bone fractures and other defects. Dentists even employ X-rays to find out the extent of tooth decay. 

Key properties of light

Intensity: The rate at which energy in the form of light is given off by the source is called intensity. Power is given in Watts. In other words, intensity is the brightness quantified by the rate at which energy in the form of light is given off per unit time per unit area.

Frequency: The number of crests that go through a specific point per second is called frequency. 

Wavelength: The distance between two adjacent crests or troughs can be defined as wavelength. The speed at which light waves travel through a vacuum is the same. Wavelength and frequency are inversely related to each other. If the wavelength is more, the frequency is less. 

Polarisation: The phenomenon of converting unpolarised light to polarised light energy examples is called polarization. Generally, the vibration of light waves occurs in multiple planes, so they are not polarised.

Phase: A specific point in time during the cyclic waveform is called a phase. When light waves are in a phase, they have a higher intensity. 

Uses of Light Energy

Light energy is used for a diverse range of commercial and scientific applications, including: 

Food: Living organisms can generate food only through light energy. All living beings depend on light for food and energy. The exceptions to this, however, are a few microorganisms like bacteria. 

Vision: Because living beings possess eyes, they can visualise the objects around them. The function of the eyes is, however, of no use in the absence of light. When light falls on the eyes, the eyes receive the image of the object to be seen. This information is then conveyed to the brain, and the object is seen. Therefore, light is crucial for seeing. 

Colours: The presence of colours makes the entire world look beautiful. The existence of colours is based on light. The light has lots of spectra, each spectrum corresponding to a particular colour. The spectrum of light is classified as VIBGYOR. 

Light energy has a speed of about 300,000 km/s. As an example of this, when you see the sun setting, in actuality, the light you are seeing has left the sun ten minutes ago. Light can be quantified in two ways: 

The light energy examples of all wavelengths are quantified by radiometry, while photometry quantifies light when the wavelength is compared to a standard of brightness perception by the human eye. Whenever we need to quantify what light energy is to be used by humans, photometry is useful. Units of photometry differ from other units of measurement as they consider how the human eye reacts to light. According to this, if two light sources form visible light of the same intensity, they might not appear equally bright.

Physical pressure is applied to objects in its path by light energy. This mechanism is understood based on the concept of particle nature of light which indicates that photons hit the light energy and transfer their momentum. The power of light divided by its speed is the pressure of light. For daily use objects, the effect of a light beam is light pressure. Suppose a coin can be picked up with laser pointers, but you need billions of those for this task. Asteroids spin faster because of the pressure of light. This is because it works on them like wind pushes a windmill. This is the reason why certain researchers work on solar sails to try to propel interstellar flight. 

We are surrounded by what is light energy on all sides. Our skins can get tanned or burned due to it, metals can melt, and food can be heated. Up to the 1950s, harnessing light energy was a big challenge for scientists. It is hoped that light energy will be used to navigate among stars in the future. The sense of light of humans can detect light energy. It consists of electromagnetic radiation and navigates in a straight path. Humans are so used to the word “light” that they use it at least ten times daily. Do you ever think about the energy generated from light? 

As light does not have mass, it can be considered “pure” energy. It is both a wave and a particle. The amount of energy in light or electromagnetic radiation depends upon the frequency of light. 

Facts about light energy

• The electromagnetic radiation viewed by the human eye can be defined as light energy
• Light energy navigates in the form of rays that are emitted outwards from the light source. 
• It navigates in a straight path and consists of electromagnetic radiation
• Most waves of light energy cannot be viewed by the human eye and occur in various wave frequencies compared to visible light. 
• Light waves navigate in the form of photons. 

Conclusion

Scientists are attempting to gain more knowledge regarding how to store and utilise light energy effectively. As the light energy is available in nature abundantly, learning how to manage it is fruitful. Light energy has the capacity to enhance the speed of an asteroid in motion or alter its direction. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What do you mean by light energy?

A. Light energy is a type of electromagnetic radiation or kinetic energy. It has a wavelength visible to the human eye. 

2. How does light navigate?

A. Light energy navigates as waves. It travels very fast, probably faster than any other form of energy. 

3. How is light energy produced?

A. Light is composed of photons or tiny clusters of energy. Once the atoms of an object heat up, it emits electrons as a result of movement. The number of photons produced depends on the temperature of the object. 

4. What do you mean by electromagnetic radiation?

A. Electromagnetic radiation is a type of energy generated as a result of the motion of electrically charged particles that navigate in a vacuum or oscillation of magnetic and electric disturbance. 

5. What is chemical potential energy?

The energy held by the chemical bonds is called chemical potential energy. It is susceptible to being absorbed and released as the particle number of the given species changes. 

6. What is meant by electromagnetic spectrum?

A. The range of all forms of electromagnetic radiation is simply called the electromagnetic spectrum. 

7. Where does visible light lie in the electromagnetic spectrum?

In the electromagnetic spectrum, visible light lies between infrared and ultraviolet. Frequencies of about 4 × 1014 to 8 × 1014 hertz (Hz) and wavelengths of about 740 nanometers to 380 nanometers (1.5 × 10−5 inches) belong to visible light.