Unit II Force, energy and

motion

LESSON 2.2

The Wave
Model of
Light
The wave
model of light

What is light?
 In the17th century,
two scientists had different
views about the nature of
light ……
Light is
particles!

No! Light is
waves!

Isaac Newton Christian Huygens

Light or waves?

• In Late 1600, Sir Isaac Newton believed that light travels in the
form of particles which named as “corpuscles”.
• Then, in 1678 Christian Huygens argued that light might be
some sort of a wave motion. Huygens came up with Huygens's
Principle that explain the light is a wave traveling through a
medium called “Aether”. Huygens deduced the Laws of
Reflection and Refraction and could explain Double
Refraction to prove the Theory of Wave. However, if light
behaves as waves, diffraction and interference should be seen
using light.
Light or waves?

• Huygens failed provide any strong evidence to show that

diffraction and interference of light occurred. Furthermore, Huygens
could not explain why light has different colors at all (He did not
know that different colors of light have different “wavelengths”)
• Therefore, Newton’s Particle Theory is acceptable since his
strong evidence about Particle nature of light.
• However, In 1801, Thomas Young’s Double Slit Experiment
showed that light diffracts and produces an interference pattern.
Therefore, Thomas Young successfully provide evidence that light
has “WAVE” properties. He showed that light rays interfere with
each other; such behavior could not be explained by particles.
Light or waves?

• In the 1860’s, Maxwell developed a mathematical model of

electromagnetism. He was able to show that these
electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light. Therefore, he
asserted that light was a form of high-frequency electromagnetic
wave.
• In 1900, Max Planck was able to explain the spectrum of a
“blackbody” radiator by assuming that light energy is quantized.
That quantum of light energy was later named a PHOTON.
• A few years later, in 1905, Albert Einstein used Planck’s idea to
explain the photoelectric effect to support the particle behavior of
light and came out with a QUANTUM THEORY.
Wave or particles?
Isaac Newton (Particle Theory of
Christians Light)
Huygens (Wave
Theory of Light)
Thomas Young (Wave Theory of
Light)
James Clerk Maxwell (Wave
Theory of Light)
Max Planck (Particle Theory of
Light)
Albert Einstein (Particle Theory
of Light)
Wave particle
duality
• When light traveling through
space, they act like waves.
• When light interacts with
atoms and molecules, they act
like a stream of energy called
photons or quanta.
 Theory of
light
Therefore, there are two THEORY OF LIGHT which explain the
nature of light:
• Wave Theory – Light as a wave
• Particle Theory – Light as a particle (photon)
 Wave theory
Supported By: Wave as model of
light
 Wave theory
Wave as model of
• Wave Theory explain that the WAVE
as a nature of light.
light
• In Wave Theory, light is considered as
an Electromagnetic (EM) Wave.
• This EM wave consists two components
which are Electric field (E) and
Magnetic field (H) which oscillate and
perpendicular to each other as well as
to the direction of wave propagation as
shown in Figure 1.
 Wave theory
Wave as model of
PROPERTIES OF LIGHT WAVES light
1.Wavelength (λ) - is the length that one
cycle OR Distance between 2 crests.
(Unit: meter(m))
2.Frequency (f) - How often cycle of wave
repeats in one second OR number of cycles
per sec. (Unit: Hertz(Hz))
3.Velocity (v) – the distance covered by the
wave in one second. (Unit: m/s)
 Wave theory
Wave as model of
PROPERTIES OF LIGHT WAVES light
4.Period (T) - the duration of one cycle . It is 𝟏
𝑻=
reciprocal of frequency. (Unit: second, s) 𝒇
5.Wave Number ( ) - the number of waves
spread in a length of one meter . It is 𝟏
𝒗=
reciprocal of wavelength. (unit: m-1) 𝝀
6.Amplitude (A) - the distance from the midline
to the peak of wave. Amplitude is a measure of
the intensity or brightness of light radiation.
 Wave theory
Wave as model of
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT WAVES light
• The velocity of light wave is not constant. It depends on type of
medium the wave travels through.
• Velocity/speed of light wave (v) in vacuum is denoted by c.
(c = 3 x 108 m/s)
• The relationship among frequency(f), light velocity (c), and wavelength
(λ) is expressed mathematically as:
𝒄
𝝀=
𝒇
 Wave theory
Wave as model of
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT WAVES
𝝀=
𝒄
𝒇
light
• From equation, , it can be seen that wavelength (λ) is
inversely proportional to the frequency (f).
• high frequency = short wavelength
• low frequency = long wavelength
• Light wave have different colors of dispersion depends on the
frequency (f) or wavelength (λ).
• Different frequency, or wavelength of wave will give different color
of light.
 Wave theory
Wave as model of
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT WAVES
light
• Light wave could diffract and interfere as shown in Thomas
Young’s Double-Slit Experiment.
 particle theory
Supported By: photon as nature of
light
 particle theory
photon as nature of
light
Isaac Newton (1704) proposed that light consists of a stream of
small particles, because it
• travels in straight lines at great speeds
• is reflected from mirrors in a predictable way

Newton observed that the

reflection of light from a
mirror resembles the
rebound of a steel ball
from a steel plate
 particle theory
photon as nature of
•
light.
light
Particle Theory explain that the particle PHOTON as a nature of

• From quantum perspective, light consist of particles called photon.

So, What is PHOTON?

• Photon is a very tiny little particle that has
energy and movement (momentum) but it has
no mass or electrical charge.
• According to Einstein, Photon is considered as
discrete ‘Packet of Energy (Quantum).”
 particle theory
photon as nature of
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT PHOTON
light
• Photon has no mass and electrical charge.
• Photon carries electromagnetic energy, E, and momentum, p,
as well as intrinsic angular momentum (or spin) associated
with its polarization properties.
• Photon travels at the speed of light in vacuum; c = 3 x 108

m/s
• Photon has a wavelike character that determines its localization
properties in space and time, and the rules by which it interferes
and diffracts.
•
 particle theory
photon as nature of
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT PHOTON
light
• The Energy (E) of the light photon is proportional to the frequency (f)
and inversely proportional to the wavelength (λ).
• The higher the frequency (OR lower the wavelength) the higher the
energy of the photon.
• Higher frequency = photon gains more energy
• Lower frequency = photon gains less energy

• For example, BLUE ray has more energy than RED ray because BLUE
ray has higher frequency and shorter wavelength.
 particle theory
photon as nature of
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT PHOTON
light
• Photon can interact with other particles such as electrons,
protons, neutrons etc.
• When photons bump into another atoms, some of their energy can
get the electrons in those atoms moving faster than they were
before - that's what we call heat. That's why you get hot sitting
in the sun.

• A “Photoelectric Experiment “by Einstein shows that a very

energetic photons of BLUE light (has very high frequency) could
knocked the electrons out from metal surface to produce a current.
 particle theory
photon as nature of
light
The increasing of frequency will increase the energy of photon.
Therefore, the photons of BLUE light could eject the electrons compare to RED
light because the BLUE light has higher frequency.
The wave
model of light

What is light?
• LIGHT is a special kind of electromagnetic energy with a wavelength
range from 380nm to 740nm (visible light).
• This electromagnetic energy consists two components which are
electric field, E and the magnetic field, H which oscillate and
perpendicular each other.
• This electromagnetic radiation are produced by the vibrations of a
charged particles called photons.
Characteristics
of Light
1. Light travels in a straight line.
For example, the light from candle
through pin hole lies in a straight line.
This straight line is called a ray of
light.
2.Light travels at a high speed.
The speed of light in vacuum is expressed as, c = 3x108 m/s.
Light travels in a vacuum at a constant speed.
However, when light travels in non-vacuum media such as air, glass,
water, the speed of light will decrease (air – 0.03% slower, glass –
30% slower)
Characteristics
of Light
3. A bundle of rays is called a “beam of
light”.
A beam of light may be parallel,
converging or diverging.

4. Light consist of different types of colors. These colors are differentiated

based on their wavelengths in the visible light spectrum.
5. Light has no mass but carries energy and momentum, p, where the
energy of light is proportional to the frequency but reciprocal to
the wavelength.
• When the frequency of light increase, the energy of light also increase and
vice versa.
• Different colors of light has different energy because it has different
frequencies.
Characteristics
of Light
6. Light is emitted and absorbed in the form of
Quanta(Photons) but propagated in the form of waves
Light has different phenomena when it interact with other objects
such as;