Visible radiation
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Description
The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths ranging from 380 - 770 nanometers (nm). Visible radiation falls between ultraviolet and infrared regions of the spectrum. The shortest visible light waves are violet and the longest are red. The effects of radiation are measured in terms of its quality (color), quantity (intensity) and duration (time). Isaac Newton first used the word spectrum in 1671 to described the colors of light dispersed by a glass Prism.
Synonyms and Related Terms
light; visible light rays; optical spectrum; visible spectrum; Lichtspektrum (Deut.); lumière visible (Fr.); espectro visível (Port.); espectro óptico (Port.)
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971
- Thomas B. Brill, Light Its Interaction with Art and Antiquities, Plenum Press, New York City, 1980
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_light (Accessed Sept. 20, 2005)