Is IR light

[diachi]

This is all just to sort out a dispute weather IR was light or heat or Electro Magnetic Radiation .

He argued that IR wasn't light ( Because It isn't visible ), But I argued that IF a laser could produce it then it must be light, otherwise IR lasers wouldn't be called Lasers the would be called Hasers ( heat amplification by stimulated emission of radiation ;D ) So what is IR is It light or is It something else ?

He also argued that there were Gamma Lasers in development, but then that also would not be called a laser , as once again Gamma radiation is not light .

Thanks,

Diachi

 

[Razako]

Actually gamma radiation and IR are both types of light.

 

[diachi]

Because EMR is still all light, as its all photons, its just outside the visible spectrum , Am I right ?

Diachi

 

[Razako]

Because EMR is still all light, as its all photons, its just outside the visible spectrum , Am I right ?

Diachi

yes

 

[diachi]

Thank you ! thats that dispute ended ;D We always have disputes like this : And me being me, I never want to be wrong, and try to prove that I'm better constantly ;D

Once again I was right ;D

Thanks again Razako, I thought I had read that elsewhere on this forum.

Diachi

 

[happytomato]

Actually, it depends on your interpretation of light.

a)Light is the visible portion of the EM spectrum.

b)Light is any part of the EM spectrum.

 

[Switch]

Actually, it depends on your interpretation of light.

a)Light is the visible portion of the EM spectrum.

b)Light is any part of the EM spectrum.

Yeah, that's pretty much so.In day to day life, light means only the visible part, but in science , it's safe to call the whole EM spectrum light.
And about the IR/heat thingy.All bodies that have a temperature emit IR radiation, this is called radiant heat and it has wavelengths of 8 to 14um(that's 8000nm to 14000nm , so it's way beyond our NIR lasers and pump diodes).It's so deep into the IR part of the spectrum it behaves totally differently from visible light and NIR.That range is where CO[sub]2[/sub] laser beams are situated (10600nm).So the IR from a remote control led, or from a pump diode, or from a YAG laser is not heat, however I guess it would kinda make sense to call a CO[sub]2[/sub] laser a "radiant heat laser" (rhaser? )
Just so you know.

 

[GooeyGus]

The definition of light is arbitrary, there really is no set point nor any law of physics that determines what is light and what isn't. So really, you're both right.

 

[Switch]

The definition of light is arbitrary, there really is no set point nor any law of physics that determines what is light and what isn't. So really, you're both light.

LoL, I read this a bit differently and it sounded funny.

 

[Ace82]

In other (my) words: "light" is a term used for humans to reference something.  As humans, we have a need to identify, break down, and measure every freaken thing in existence.  The entire EM spectrum is all measured in the same fashion, in wavelength nm's, or "frequency" can be another referencing term. So how one perceives the word is relative to their own perception, leaving the only true universal fact; all energies (radiation) in the EM spectrum are all based on the exact same foundation.  

 

[Event_Horizon]

...And about the IR/heat thingy.All bodies that have a temperature emit IR radiation, this is called radiant heat and it has wavelengths of 8 to 14um...

I believe the proper term is blackbody radiation.  

 

[diachi]

to what ace was saying, is that the Theory of relativity ( or is it speical relativity, theres too many )

Diachi

 

[Switch]

to what ace was saying, is that the Theory of relativity ( or is it speical relativity, theres too many )

Diachi

I think it's just the word "relative" with it's primary sense.

I believe the proper term is blackbody radiation.

I knew someone was gonna correct me.

 

[diachi]

But is that not what the theory of relativity states, that every one percieves time and space differently according to certain things ?

 

[Switch]

So how one perceives the word is relative to...

In Ace's context "light" is a word.It's not time nor space.The "Theory of Relativity" also containts the word "relativity".It's also a word that exists beyond the Theory of Relativity, and Ace was using it without refering to the theory...just using the proper meaning of the word "relative".Right?