Science Quiz

Southie · November 5, 2015, 2:15am

Re: Science Quiz

It will go through if the wall is made of glass. Lol.

Thing is, humans can only sense a small segment of light. Microwaves, xrays, infrared waves, UV rays, (and some other rays) are all actually considered as light waves. The difference between them is the difference in wavelength (measured in nanometers). Visible light is of wavelength between 400-700nm or something like that. Anything beyond those numbers cannot be sensed by the human eye. Some animals like most birds can see UV light.

Anyways, afaik, the penetration of a wall by light depends on how tightly the atoms of the wall are packed or held together, i.e. space between atoms may allow a small amplitude/wavelength of light to travel but not larger onea. So, a concrete wall will restrict visible light but will allow other wavelengths like radio waves. A thick glass wall will allow visible light and infrared but not UV. Actually, this all comes under polymer science and that part of physics which I’ve always avoided, because I don’t know understand it fully.

This graphic provides a glimpse of how little we actually see in the universe with our naked eyes.
http://www.wisconsinacademy.org/sites/default/files/Visible-spectrum.jpg
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/noise_barriers/design_construction/design/graphics/fig6.gif

Thanks again. Interatominc spacing is key I guess for light transport