Help i need a explanation for this

In summary, the conversation discusses an experiment by astronomer William Herchel, where he observed changes in temperature as he moved a thermometer across different colors in a spectrum of light. This led to a discussion about the relationship between energy, frequency, and wavelength of electromagnetic rays, and the confusion about how energy can change when the frequency remains constant. The conversation ends with the realization that frequency and wavelength are two sides of the same coin, and changes in wavelength also correspond to changes in frequency.
  • #1
Rico L
37
0
I got this from a book anyway

An astronomer called William Herchel used some very accurate and sensitive mercury thermometer, he placed one in front of a spectrum of light and found that as he moved it across the bands of different colors from violet to red,the temperature rose.


this what confuses me...

The equation for energy of the EM ray is E = hf which is Planks constant times the frequency, so that the energy is only depend on the frequency because the Planks constant is a constant...X)but from the experiment above, it seems that the energy changes because of the wavelength..."the temperature changed when he moved the thermometer across the bands of different colors," does it mean that the energy also changes when the wavelength are not the same because when the temperature changes which also suggests that the energy has to change... and the diffraction of light doesn't change the frequency but only the wavelength... If not... where the ... is that spare energy comes from?

please come up a explanation for this

please do correct if any of my knowledge is not right...


cheers
 
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  • #2
Realize that frequency and wavelength of light are related by speed = frequency X wavelength. So light of different 'wavelength' is also light of different 'frequency'. It's two sides of the same coin.
 
  • #3
ooooh,,, thanks
 

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