CHAPTER-6

SPECTRUM & COLOURS

Introduction:
We already learnt that light energy is an invisible energy, which is electromagnetic
in nature and causes in us sensation of vision.
The electromagnetic radiations which can excite our retina have wavelength between 800nm
(darkest of red) to 400nm (darkest of violet). The various colours seen at different wavelength
are shown in the table below.

(Fig.6.1)
Colour Wavelength(approximately)in nanometer(nm)
Red 800 to 620
Orange 620 to 592
Yellow 592 to 578
Green 578 to 500
Blue 500 to 464
Indigo 464 to 446
Violet 446 to 400

Newton`s experiment: Newton allowed the sunlight to enter through small aperture, in a
window and placed a glass prism in the path of the light ray. The light coming out of the prism
was received on a white screen. He found that light obtained on white screen was band of seven
colours, resembling the rainbow formed after the rain.
The order of colour from base of prism was Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange
and Red..The order of colours can be easily remembered by the word VIBGYOR.

(Fig.6.2)
Recombination of White Light:
Newton took two exactly similar prism, i.e. the prism were of same material and had same
refracting angle.

Fig.6.3
He passed white light through a slit and allowed it to fall on first prism, he obtained a spectrum
on the white screen. Now he interposed second prism, in inverted position as shown in the
Fig.6.3. He found that a patch of white light is formed on the screen. The reason is that second
prism, turned the dispersed colours, towards its base through different angles, such that before
emerging out from it, they were incident at the same point. Thus, they rejoined to form white
light.

Dispersion of Light:
The phenomenon of breaking the white light into its constituents colours ( VIBGYOR) is called
dispersion of light.

Fig.6.4

The band of colours obtained on the screen on passing white light through a prism is called
spectrum.
When white light is incident on the first surface of a prism and enters it, light of different colours
is refracted through different angles (different angles of deviation) as shown in (fig.6.2)
We also know that deviation of a light ray from a prism depends on (a) angle of
incidence, (b) refracting angle of prism, (c) refractive index of prism and (d) wavelength of
incident light. When a white light ray falls on one face of a prism, the values of angle of
incidence and refracting angle of the prism remains constant. However, as refractive index of
prism is different for different colours (or wavelengths), therefore these colours deviates at
different angles and forms a spectrum on the screen. The red colour deviates least from its path
and violet colour deviates most as shown in fig.6.3

Pure Spectrum:
A spectrum in which various bands of colours have sharp well defined boundaries and do not
merge in each other is called pure spectrum.

Impure Spectrum:
A spectrum in which various bands of colours have no sharp well defined boundaries, but
merge in each other is called impure spectrum.

Electromagnetic Spectrum
So far, we have limited ourselves to the visible part of spectrum, extending from red to violet
region. But experiments show that spectrum does not end at these extreme ends of red or violet,
but extends further on both sides beyond this region. Since our eyes do not respond to the
spectrum beyond the red and the violet extremes, the part of the spectrum beyond the red and
the violet end is called the invisible spectrum.
 The waves from the other part of electromagnetic wave do not excite retina, some of
them rather damage the retina. Thus the eye is sensitive only to a very small part of
electromagnetic spectrum.
If speed (c), wavelength (λ), and frequency (f) of the electromagnetic waves are related as
c=fλ
The complete electromagnetic spectrum is given below.
Name of Wave Frequency of wave (Hz) Wavelength(Angstrom)
Cosmic rays 1023-1021 10-5 -10-3
Gamma rays 1021 -1019 10-3- 0.1
X-ray 1019-1016 0.1-100
Ultraviolet rays 1016-7.5x 1014 100-4000
Visible light 7.5x 1014-3.7x1014 4000-8000
Infrared rays 3.7x1014-1011 8000-107
Microwaves 1011-107 107-1011
Radio waves 107 or less 1011 or more

Some common properties of electromagnetic waves

1. All waves of electromagnetic spectrum travel in vacuum with speed of light i.e.
3 x 108m/s.
2. The relation between the wavelength, speed and frequency of electromagnetic wave is
given by c = f λ.
3. All waves show the properties of reflection, refraction, interference and diffraction.
4. All waves show the properties of polarization that proves that electromagnetic waves are
transverse in nature.
 5. All waves do not deflect from their path in electric and magnetic fields.
6. These waves are produced by accelerated charge.

Properties and uses of different Electromagnetic Waves:

a) Gamma rays:

 They are produced by the nucleus of radioactive an atom, by the sudden change
in energy.
 They are also present in cosmic radiation.
 They can easily penetrate through the thick metallic sheet(like 30cm thick iron
sheet).
 They cause fluorescence when they strike the fluorescent material such as zinc
sulphide.
 Gamma radiation can easily penetrate through the human body and cause
biological damage.
 They are used in medical science to kill cancer cells(radio therapy)
 They are used in industries to check welding.
b) X-rays

 They are produced by the excitation of inner electrons of an atom and sudden
annihilation of high energy free electrons.
 They strongly affect the photographic plate.
 Like gamma ray, X-ray also cause fluorescence in certain materials like zinc
sulphide.
 They can penetrate through human flesh, but they are stopped by bones, therefore
they are used for detection of factures in bone, teeth etc.
 X-ray used for diagnostic purpose such as CT scan in medical sciences.
 They are also used for studying atomic arrangements in crystals.
c) Ultraviolet Radiation

The region of spectrum which extends beyond violet colour of visible spectrum is
called ultraviolet.

 Any source of light at temperature of more than 25000 C is a good source of ultra-violet
radiation.
 They obey the laws of reflection and refraction.
 They produce chemical effect in silver salts.
 They are absorbed by atmosphere and convert the oxygen to ozone.
 They are usually scattered by the dust particles present in the atmosphere.
 They can pass through quartz, but they are absorbed by glass.

Uses of Ultraviolet radiation

 Due to small wavelength and high frequency its use to kill bacteria and germs in water
  In producing vitamin D in food of plants and animals.
 For sterilizing purposes.
 For detecting the purity of gems, eggs, ghee etc.
Visible light

Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 0.4µm to 0.8 µm are called the visible radiation or
visible light because in the presence of these radiations, other objects can be seen. The sun,
electric bulb, flame and hot bodies are the main source of visible light. The visible light is used
in photography and to see the objects around us. The prominent colours of visible light are
violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
Infrared radiation

The electromagnetic radiation beyond red end of visible spectrum are called infrared radiation

 All heated bodies are the source of infrared radiations.

 They are absorbed by glass, but they are not absorbed by rock-salt.
 They are detected by their heating property by using thermopile or blackened bulb
thermometer.
 They do not effect ordinary photographic film.
 They travel in straight light with the speed of light.

Uses of Infrared radiations

 The scattering of these waves from dust particles and fog is lest hence these waves are
used in long distance or night photography.
 These waves are used as signals in war.
 They are used in remote control of television and other gadgets.
 These radiations produce heating effect therefore are used in therapeutic purpose.
Microwaves
 Microwaves are produced by oscillating circuits in special vacuum tubes.
 Their wavelength is between 1cm to 0.1cm
 They are used for telecommunication purposes for long distance.
 Microwaves are used for cooking, in microwave ovens.

Radio waves
 Radio waves are produced by an electronic devices called oscillating circuits.
 Wavelength of these waves is most and they are used for communication purposes.
 Short radio waves are used for long distance and medium waves are used for short
distance communication.

Scattering of Light
When white light from sun enters the earth`s atmosphere, the light gets scattered i.e. light
spreads in all direction by the dust particles, free water molecules and molecules of the gases
present in the atmosphere.
The scattering is the process of absorption and then re-emission of light energy.

According to Rayleigh, when the light from sun enter the earth`s atmosphere, the air
molecules of size smaller than the wavelength of incident light absorb the energy of incident
light and then re-emit it without change in its wavelength.
The intensity of scattered light is found to be inversely proportional to the fourth power of
wavelength of light (I α 1/λ4).
The wavelength of violet light is least(0.4µm) and that of red light is most(0.8 µm) ,
therefore violet light scattered most and red light scattered least(i.e. scattering of violet light
nearly 16 times more then that of red light)
Blue colour of Sky

When light from sun enters earth`s atmosphere. The blue (or violet) light due to its short
wavelength scattered more in compare to other wavelength. Therefore the sky opposite the sun is
seen blue(as eye is more sensitive for blue colour then violet colour). Further at night there is no
sunlight, therefore sky appears black.

Red colour of sun at sunrise and sunset

At the time of sunrise and sunset, the light from sun has to travel the long distance of
atmosphere to reach the observer.

The light travelling from sun loses blue light due to scattering, while red light scattered least.
thus blue light is almost absent in sunlight reaching the observer while its rich in red colour.
White colour of clouds

The clouds are nearer the earth surface and they contain dust particles and water molecules of
size bigger than the wavelength of visible light. Therefore, the dust particles and water molecules
present in the clouds scatter all colours of incident white light from sun to the same extent and
hence when the scattered light reaches our eye, the clouds are seen white.