Kenom
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- Joined
- May 4, 2007
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Ok, I donno how many times I've fielded the question "which burns better Green, bluray, or red?" As such, I'd like to take some time to clear up this issue once and for all (if this becomes a sticky)
First off there are a few factors to consider. I don't have a degree in Physics so can't go in-depth explaining the whole reasons behind what's what. I do however know what does affect burning power and can go into the general different factors determining burning power of a laser and what your burning.
First off lets clear up the mW issue. Like comparing quarters to dimes, you go with the basic break down of the individual group you are utilizing. I.E. Pennies. You describe to someone who has no concept of a quarter or dime and you have to first explain what a penny is. The penny is the lowest form of currency in the United States. As such, you use it for determining value of all other monitary denomonations. A quarter is the same thing as 25 pennies. A Dime is the same as 10 Pennies. Same with mW. miliWatts = 1/1000 Watt. Now there are lower denominations of laser power but in a hobbyists book it is the baseline. So, given that a mW is the same as a penny, you can see that comparing one penny to another penny is a waste of time. They are the same thing. A mW when compared to a mW is the same thing regardless of wavelength of the laser. This is only a expression of energy. The energy of a 1mW green laser is the same as the energy of a 1mW red laser.
Second thing to consider. What are you burning? This is important primarily because different materials and different colors react differentlly when exposed to different wavelengths. This is where my specific lack of knowledge in physics has to be filled in by somone else more knowledgable than I, but I do know that something like a flourescent rock, cannot be burned by a 405nm laser because of the flourescent reaction in the rock unless there is a massive amount of energy. This mostly has to do with dispersion of energy from my understanding. The energy is being changed to something else so does not have the effect your looking for. On the other hand, black electrical tape, which absorbs a lot of different wavelengths, can be easily burned by many numerous lasers. I'm really going to rely on others here to explain a bit more in-depth as the the hows and whys of this. Basically it comes down to one thing. Beam absorption. If the beam gets absorbed, it can be burned. However, if the beam DOES NOT get absorbed, then your going to need a vast amount of energy in order to burn it. White reflects green very well. In order to burn white, you have to have a lot of energy. Now this is not only color dependant. There are many different things to take into account for it, but essentially it boils down to what you want to burn.
Bluray burns white paper very well. However not all white paper will burn when exposed to bluray. It truly depends on the material.
Green hates red. I read somewhere they have a tendency to cancel each other out. Shine a green light on a red apple and that apple appears black. I know there's more to it than just a red apple only reflects red so when green is shone on it there's no light. but am lackin in the particulars when it comes to lasers.
So, while the effect was to try to illuminate the whole subject and settle it once and for all, I'm sure I've just confused everyone and will allow the knowledgable folks out there with the physics degrees to pop in and give the technical explanations need to educate even me.
First off there are a few factors to consider. I don't have a degree in Physics so can't go in-depth explaining the whole reasons behind what's what. I do however know what does affect burning power and can go into the general different factors determining burning power of a laser and what your burning.
First off lets clear up the mW issue. Like comparing quarters to dimes, you go with the basic break down of the individual group you are utilizing. I.E. Pennies. You describe to someone who has no concept of a quarter or dime and you have to first explain what a penny is. The penny is the lowest form of currency in the United States. As such, you use it for determining value of all other monitary denomonations. A quarter is the same thing as 25 pennies. A Dime is the same as 10 Pennies. Same with mW. miliWatts = 1/1000 Watt. Now there are lower denominations of laser power but in a hobbyists book it is the baseline. So, given that a mW is the same as a penny, you can see that comparing one penny to another penny is a waste of time. They are the same thing. A mW when compared to a mW is the same thing regardless of wavelength of the laser. This is only a expression of energy. The energy of a 1mW green laser is the same as the energy of a 1mW red laser.
Second thing to consider. What are you burning? This is important primarily because different materials and different colors react differentlly when exposed to different wavelengths. This is where my specific lack of knowledge in physics has to be filled in by somone else more knowledgable than I, but I do know that something like a flourescent rock, cannot be burned by a 405nm laser because of the flourescent reaction in the rock unless there is a massive amount of energy. This mostly has to do with dispersion of energy from my understanding. The energy is being changed to something else so does not have the effect your looking for. On the other hand, black electrical tape, which absorbs a lot of different wavelengths, can be easily burned by many numerous lasers. I'm really going to rely on others here to explain a bit more in-depth as the the hows and whys of this. Basically it comes down to one thing. Beam absorption. If the beam gets absorbed, it can be burned. However, if the beam DOES NOT get absorbed, then your going to need a vast amount of energy in order to burn it. White reflects green very well. In order to burn white, you have to have a lot of energy. Now this is not only color dependant. There are many different things to take into account for it, but essentially it boils down to what you want to burn.
Bluray burns white paper very well. However not all white paper will burn when exposed to bluray. It truly depends on the material.
Green hates red. I read somewhere they have a tendency to cancel each other out. Shine a green light on a red apple and that apple appears black. I know there's more to it than just a red apple only reflects red so when green is shone on it there's no light. but am lackin in the particulars when it comes to lasers.
So, while the effect was to try to illuminate the whole subject and settle it once and for all, I'm sure I've just confused everyone and will allow the knowledgable folks out there with the physics degrees to pop in and give the technical explanations need to educate even me.
