Question

1) Explain what is involved when visible light is being generated by an object at the atomic level. Include what determines the color of the light that is given off.

2) What are the seven "colors" generally used to describe the colors of the rainbow? (Include the "name" used to help remember them.)

3) What happens when white light passes through a prism and why does this happen?

4) If white light passes through a yellow filter and a blue filter, what is the color of the remaining light? Why does it appear this way?

5) Why are fluorescent lights more efficient than incandescent lights? (Why are incandescent lights so inefficient?)

Answer 1

(1) At atomic levels, visible light is emitted in the form of photons when electrons transition takes place from a higher level to a lower level. The color of the light is determined by the energy difference between the two levels of electron transition.

(2) The seven colors are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.

(3) A prism disperses white light into its constituent colours. This happens because different colour has different angle of diffraction when it passes through the prism.

(5) Incandescent lights are inefficient because a lot of energy is lost in the form of heat.

P.S.: I am not really sure about the last two questions.