In the picture below, four lasers pierce the sky into the Orion Nebula. Who is doing this? Astronomers from an observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chili are studying an optics system to increase the sharpness of an image. Laser lights are definitely different from your regular flashlight! What makes them so, penetrating?
To make a laser work many, many photons need to be energized at the same time. (All that happens in my slim, little, laser pen light?) YES! The key is a pair of mirrors. Photons, with a very specific wavelength (red, green, blue) and phase, reflect off the mirrors to travel back and forth through the laser material. In the process, they stimulate other electrons to make the downward energy jump and can cause the start of more photons of the same wavelength and phase. A cascade effect occurs, and soon we have created many, many photons of the same wavelength and phase. The mirror at one end of the laser is "half-silvered," meaning it reflects some light and lets some light through. The light that makes it through is the laser light. What? That's too small! Augh! That's too complicated! (Interesting, but whatever does this mean?) Anyway, lasers are fun to play with.... SAFELY! Party on...I mean, get back to your Math Homework!!
17 Comments
Addie j
3/29/2017 04:05:19 pm
Wow that's really cool
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jaxon bunker
3/29/2017 05:19:02 pm
that's cool how a battery works
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haley
3/29/2017 05:58:32 pm
wow, i like the cat chasing the laser :)
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Katelyn Ashton
3/29/2017 06:10:26 pm
Those lasers look bright. Just like the moana song.
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Zane
3/29/2017 07:11:19 pm
i love lasers
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Zane
3/29/2017 07:12:08 pm
sorry about my brother
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brandon
3/29/2017 07:13:01 pm
i like the last picture
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brennan
3/29/2017 07:13:18 pm
me two
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Sofia
3/29/2017 08:06:02 pm
i somewhat get that, but you're right it is crazy that all of that happens in the laser pens
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jenna
3/29/2017 09:01:51 pm
thats really confusing
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Annika
3/29/2017 10:27:19 pm
Forgot to say, MONOCHROMATIC!
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Paige
3/29/2017 10:50:20 pm
Wow lasers are really interesting also I like the GIF of the cat chasing the laser! (:
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Brady
3/30/2017 07:05:40 am
Lasers are my favorite.
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Avery
3/30/2017 07:21:54 am
Lasers are very cool! That picture that explains what is happening inside a laser is very interesting but also complicated.
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Zaya
3/30/2017 07:30:18 am
That picture looks like it's from Star Wars!
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |