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Questions for Thought
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1

What determines if an electromagnetic wave emitted from an object is a visible light wave or a wave of infrared radiation?
2

What model of light does the polarization of light support? Explain.
3

Which carries more energy, red light or blue light? Should this mean anything about the preferred color of warning and stop lights? Explain.
4

What model of light is supported by the photoelectric effect? Explain.
5

What happens to light that is absorbed by matter?
6

One star is reddish, and another is bluish. Do you know anything about the relative temperatures of the two stars? Explain.
7

When does total internal reflection occur? Why does this occur in the diamond more than other gemstones?
8

Why does a highway sometimes appear wet on a hot summer day when it is not wet?
9

How can you tell if a pair of sunglasses is polarizing or not?
10

What conditions are necessary for two light waves to form an interference pattern of bright lines and dark areas?
11

Explain why the intensity of reflected light appears to change if you tilt your head from side to side while wearing polarizing sunglasses.
12

Why do astronauts in orbit around Earth see a black sky with stars that do not twinkle but see a blue Earth?
13

What was so unusual about Planck's findings about blackbody radiation? Why was this considered revolutionary?
14

Why are both the photon model and the electromagnetic wave model accepted today as a single theory? Why was this so difficult for people to accept at first?





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