Measuring Light

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Monochromatic light, or light of one color, has several characteristics that can be measured. As discussed in the section on electromagnetic waves, the length of light waves is measured in meters, and the frequency of light waves is measured in hertz. The wavelength can be measured with interferometers, and the frequency determined from the wavelength and a measurement of the velocity of light in meters per second. Monochromatic light also has a well-defined polarization that can be measured using devices called polarimeters. Sometimes the direction of scattered light is also an important quantity to measure.

When light is considered as a source of illumination for human eyes, its intensity, or brightness, is measured in units that are based on a modernized version of the perceived brightness of a candle. These units include the rate of energy flow in light, which, for monochromatic light traveling in a single direction, is determined by the rate of flow of photons. The rate of energy flow in this case can be stated in watts, or Joules per second. Usually light contains many colors and radiates in many directions away from a source such as a lamp.

A. Brightness
B. Speed of Light

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