Article View: sci.misc
Article #712Re: differences between sound and light waves?
From: David Bengtson
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1988 19:52
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1988 19:52
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In article <4110@aw.sei.cmu.edu> firth@bd.sei.cmu.edu.UUCP (Robert Firth) writes:
>In article <413@prlb2.UUCP> ronse@prlb2.UUCP (Christian Ronse) writes:
>>As I am thinking about differences between vision and audition, I would like
>>to know the difference of behaviour between light waves and sound waves which
>>manifest themselves at our everyday (Newtonian, non-quantum) scale. For
For me, the most obvious diffrence is that light is electromagnetic in
nature, and as such is governed by Maxwells equations, while sound is a
physical vibration in the material that the sound propogates through. Other
than that, the wave equation applies to both, and ( I assume ) is solved
the same way. Except, of course, with sound, one must take material constants
into account, while with EM, vacuum is generally assumes.
>
>(e) Finally, of course, we can generate sounds as well as perceive them; we
> can't generate colours.
Actually, we can 'generate' colors. Color generally refers to our perception
of specific wavelengths of Optical frequency radation, and as such, can
be generated easily. Just think of paint, neon tubes, colored light bulbs,
etc.
David Bengtson If you think that I speak for
Laboratory for Plasma Fusion the University, I've got a Bridge
University of Maryland to sell you :-)
College Park Md 20742
{your keyboard} !uunet!mimsy!eneevax!daveb
eneevax.umd.edu
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!ames!umd5!eneevax!daveb From: daveb@eneevax.UUCP (David Bengtson) Newsgroups: sci.misc,sci.physics Subject: Re: differences between sound and light waves? Keywords: macroscopic behaviour Message-ID: <1220@eneevax.UUCP> Date: 8 Feb 88 19:52:22 GMT References: <413@prlb2.UUCP> <4110@aw.sei.cmu.edu> Sender: news@eneevax.UUCP Reply-To: daveb@eneevax.umd.edu.UUCP (David Bengtson) Organization: Elec. Eng. Dept., U of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Lines: 26