Light Tutorial

Light is an electromagnetic wave similar to radio waves. It has wavelength and frequency. It travels at 300,000,000 metres per second.

Wavelength, frequency and the speed of light are related. Wavelength x frequency = the speed of light. Different colours of light have different frequencies.
When a ray of light hits a shiny surface it isREFLECTED. The angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence.

When light passes from one transparent material to another it isREFRACTED(bent).
LENSESuse refraction.CONVEXlensesFOCUSa beam of light to a point.

CONCAVE lenses cause the beam to DIVERGE.

ThePRIMARYcolours which make up white light can be separated out by a glass PRISM.

Three of the primary colours, RED, GREEN and BLUE are used in the colour television system.
By mixing them most other colours can be made.
In the next diagram, red and green make yellow, green and blue make cyan and red and blue make magenta.

White is made by using all three colours.