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Light sources
Types of light sources
Definition of a light source: A light source is an object that emits light around itself
It can be distinguished two kind of light source:
- Primary sources of light:
These objects create light they emit.
Primary sources can have high temperature like the Sun, flames, the filament of an incandescent lamp. etc. They can also be at ambient temperature using electrical or chemical processes to produce light like fireflies, some aquatic organisms ( in this case we use the term of bioluminescence ), TV, computer or mobile screens.
- Secondary sources of light
These objects don't produce the light they emit: they have received light from another source first, then they can send it back ( partially or totality ): we say they diffuse light ( or they reflect it, for mirrors).
Secondary sources diffuse light in all directions.
Thus, a secondary source can be considered as a source of light only when it is lighted ( by a primary or secondary source ).
The Moon ( that receives light from the Sun ) and planets are secondary sources that diffuse some light like cinema screen lighted by a projector.
Actually all objects ( including people ) around us can be considered as secondary sources of light if they are in a room with a shining lamp.
| Science class |
| Optics lessons |
Light sources - Types of light sources - Why can we see objects ? Propagation of light - Rectilinear propagation of light - Beams of light - Speed of light - Light and distances Shadows, lunar eclipses and phases of the moon - Formation of shadows - The Moon and eclipses Colored lights - color of objects - Decomposition of white light - Colored lights - Color of objects Image formation - Thin lenses - Thin converging and diverging lenses - Image formation by thin lenses - Vision and eyes |
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