LESSON 2.

1 SOURCES OF LIGHT and its

PROPAGATION
Thomas Edison and the “first” light bulb
OPTICS
- It is the branch of physics, which involves the In 1878, Thomas Edison began serious
behavior and properties of light, including its interactions research into developing a practical
with matter and the construction of instruments that use incandescent lamp and on October 14,
or detect it. 1878, Edison filed his first patent
application for "Improvement In
Electric Lights".
Light is a combination of both electrical and magnetic
energy that can travel at varying velocities in various This discovery marked the beginning of
media. All light must come from a source, some of which commercially manufactured light bulbs and in 1880,
are: Thomas Edison’s company, Edison Electric Light
Company began marketing its new product.
A. LUMINOUS OBJECTS
- These are objects that emit or send off their own
light. 2. LUMINESCENCE
- They tend to radiate heat as an effect of being - Is a process by which light is produced other than by or
luminous and can store energy. NOT BY HEATING.
- There are two forms that can be identified, depending on
the amount of time the emitted light continues to glow.
Ex. Sun, stars, light bulbs,
camp fires, lasers 2 FORMS OF LUMINESCENCE

A. FLOURESCENCE
B. NON-LUMINOUS OBJECTS - It refers to the release
- These are the objects that cannot emit their own light. of light that lasts not more than
- In order for us to see them, a light from a luminous object about 10 nanoseconds after it
must be reflected. begins.
- They are also called ILLUMINATED objects. - One particular
example is the
Ex. Moon, cars, FLOURESCENT LIGHT
buildings, etc. BULB.

B. PHOSPHORESCENCE
- It refers to the release of light that last longer
HOW IS LIGHT PRODUCED? than 10 nanoseconds.
- This type is temperature dependent since thermal
1. INCANDESCENCE energy is required for the electrons to be excited.
- Is a process by which light is produced BY • An example is the
HEATING. phosphorescent materials
- When an object is heated at a very high that is used in that will emit
temperature, it starts to glow and become dull red in light after exposure to some
color. form of radiant energy.
- The high temperature causes the atoms to vibrate
and give off energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

Examples:
 The sun gives off both heat and light as a result of
nuclear reactions in its core.
 An incandescent light bulb gives off light when a LIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY
wire filament inside the bulb is heated to white
heat. Objects can be classified in terms of the way they allow
 One can read by the light light to pass through them. They can be classified as:
of a candle flame because
burning wax gives off 1. TRANSPARENT materials are those that permit the
both heat and light. passage of light. Examples are air, glass, water, and clear
plastic.
2. TRANSLUSCENT materials are those that ONLY
ALLOW SOME of the light to pass through.

3.OPAQUE materials are those that BLOCK the passage

of light.
OPAQUE materials create shadows like the umbra and
penumbra during an eclipse.