LIGHTING DESIGN
 Electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.The "electromagnetic spectrum" of an object is the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by that particular object.
Range of the spectrum and types of radiation
EM waves are typically described by any of the following three physical properties: the frequency f, wavelength λ, or photon energy E. Frequencies range from 2.4x1023 Hz (1 GeV gamma rays) down to the local plasma frequency of the ionized interstellar medium (~1 kHz). Wavelength is inversely proportional to the wave frequency, so gamma rays have very short wavelengths that are fractions of the size of atoms, whereas wavelengths can be as long as the universe. Photon energy is directly proportional to the wave frequency, so gamma rays have the highest energy (around a billion electron volts) and radio waves have very low energy (around femto electron volts).
 |
Rationale
Electromagnetic radiation interacts with matter in different ways in different parts of the spectrum. The types of interaction can be so different that it seems to be justified to refer to different types of radiation. At the same time, there is a continuum containing all these "different kinds" of electromagnetic radiation. Thus we refer to a spectrum, but divide it up based on the different interactions with matter.
| Region of the spectrum |
Main interactions with matter |
| Radio |
Collective oscillation of charge carriers in bulk material (plasma oscillation). An example would be the oscillation of
the electrons in an antenna. |
Microwave
through far
infrared |
Plasma oscillation, molecular rotation |
| Near infrared |
Molecular vibration, plasma oscillation (in metals only) |
| Visible |
Molecular electron excitation (including pigment molecules found in the human retina), plasma oscillations (in metals only) |
| Ultraviolet |
Excitation of molecular and atomic valence electrons, including ejection of the electrons (photoelectric effect) |
| X-rays |
Excitation and ejection of core atomic electrons, Compton scattering (for low atomic numbers) |
| Gamma rays |
Energetic ejection of core electrons in heavy elements, Compton scattering (for all atomic numbers), excitation of atomic nuclei, including dissociation of nuclei |
High energy
gamma rays |
Creation of particle-antiparticle pairs. At very high energies a single photon can create a shower of high energy particles and antiparticles upon interaction with matter. |
|
Infrared radiation
 IR-A: 700 nm–1400 nm
IR-B: 1400 nm–3000 nm
IR-C: 3000 nm–1 mm
Far-infrared, from 300 GHz (1 mm) to 30 THz (10 μm). The lower part of this range may also be called microwaves. This radiation is typically absorbed by so-called rotational modes in gas-phase molecules, by molecular motions in liquids, and by phonons in solids. The water in the Earth's atmosphere absorbs so strongly in this range that it renders the atmosphere effectively opaque. However, there are certain wavelength ranges ("windows") within the opaque range which allow partial transmission, and can be used for astronomy. The wavelength range from approximately 200 μm up to a few mm is often referred to as "sub-millimetre" in astronomy, reserving far infrared for wavelengths below 200 μm.
Mid-infrared, from 30 to 120 THz (10 to 2.5 μm). Hot objects (black-body radiators) can radiate strongly in this range. It is absorbed by molecular vibrations, where the different atoms in a molecule vibrate around their equilibrium positions. This range is sometimes called the fingerprint region since the mid-infrared absorption spectrum of a compound is very specific for that compound.
Near-infrared, from 120 to 400 THz (2,500 to 750 nm). Physical processes that are relevant for this range are similar to those for visible light.
Visible radiation (light)
The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to (can be detected by) the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light\ or simply light. A typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 380 to 750 nm.[1] In terms of frequency, this corresponds to a band in the vicinity of 790–400 terahertz. A light-adapted eye generally has its maximum sensitivity at around 555 nm (540 THz), in the green region of the optical spectrum (see: luminosity function). The spectrum does not, however, contain all the colors that the human eyes and brain can distinguish. Unsaturated colors such as pink, or purple variations such as magenta, are absent, for example, because they can only be made by a mix of multiple wavelengths.
Linear visible spectrum
| Color |
Wavelength |
Frequency |
| violet |
380–450 nm |
668–789 THz |
| blue |
450–495 nm |
606–668 THz |
| green |
495–570 nm |
526–606 THz |
| yellow |
570–590 nm |
508–526 THz |
| orange |
590–620 nm |
484–508 THz |
| red |
620–750 nm |
400–484 THz |
Spectral color
A spectral color is a color that is evoked by a single wavelength of light in the visible spectrum, or by a relatively narrow band of wavelengths. Every wavelength of light is perceived as a spectral color, in a continuous spectrum; the colors of sufficiently close wavelengths are indistinguishable.
The spectrum is often divided up into named colors, though any division is somewhat arbitrary:
the spectrum is continuous. Traditional colors include: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
Spectral color
UV light is found in sunlight and is emitted by electric arcs and specialized lights such as black lights. As an ionizing radiation it can cause chemical reactions, and causes many substances to glow or fluoresce. Most people are aware of the effects of UV through the painful condition of sunburn, but the UV spectrum has many other effects, both beneficial and damaging, on human health.
The electromagnetic spectrum of ultraviolet light can be subdivided in a number of ways.
| Name |
Abbreviation |
Wavelength range in
nanometers |
Energy per photon |
Ultraviolet A,
long wave,
or black light |
UVA |
400 nm–315 nm |
3.10–3.94 eV |
| Near |
NUV |
400 nm–300 nm |
3.10–4.13 eV |
Ultraviolet B or
medium wave |
UVB |
315 nm–280 nm |
3.94–4.43 eV |
| Middle |
MUV |
300 nm–200 nm |
4.13–6.20 eV |
Ultraviolet C,
short wave,
or germicidal |
UVC |
280 nm–100 nm |
4.43–12.4 eV |
| Far |
FUV |
200 nm–122 nm |
6.20–10.2 eV |
| Vacuum |
VUV |
200 nm–10 nm |
6.20–124 eV |
| Low |
LUV |
100 nm–88 nm |
12.4–14.1 eV |
| Super |
SUV |
150 nm–10 nm |
8.28–124 eV |
| Extreme |
EUV |
121 nm–10 nm |
10.2–124 eV |
|
English
German
Spanish
French
Italian
Portuguese
Japanese
Korean
Arabic
Russian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese