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paper ignition?

Joined
May 30, 2008
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how much mw is needed to burn paper ?(not make holes, but IGNITE)
before you ask what colour... i want to know both Black or White.
 





I have been able to ignite my science homework with my p100... The paper that ignited was the black writing. Black does absorb more light than white so it will be easier to ignite black paper
 
Matthew said:
I have been able to ignite my science homework with my p100... The paper that ignited was the black writing. Black does absorb more light than white so it will be easier to ignite black paper
Did the paper burst into flames or did it just ember around a bit? IT doesn't take too much to make newspaper ember, 100mW can easily do it. Burst into flames is different though. Pseudonomen137 says that 10 watts of IR won't even touch white paper, but if the paper is just slightly off-white it lights on fire instantly. For black paper to light on fire I'm gonna guess around 500mW properly focused.
 
Might be tough using magazine paper Wes, it's shiny & will reflect alot of light instead of absorbing the energy from the laser.phoenix77/rob 8-)
 
styropyro said:
[quote author=Matthew link=1214075368/0#1 date=1214076635]I have been able to ignite my science homework with my p100... The paper that ignited was the black writing.  Black does absorb more light than white so it will be easier to ignite black paper
Did the paper burst into flames or did it just ember around a bit? IT doesn't take too much to make newspaper ember, 100mW can easily do it. Burst into flames is different though. Pseudonomen137 says that 10 watts of IR won't even touch white paper, but if the paper is just slightly off-white it lights on fire instantly. For black paper to light on fire I'm gonna guess around 500mW properly focused.[/quote]
it was just alot of embers no flame but it was burned so much that I had to do the work for a second time!
 
phoenix77 said:
Might be tough using magazine paper Wes, it's shiny & will reflect alot of light instead of absorbing the energy from the laser.phoenix77/rob 8-)


Yeah but the light that is absorbed will burn the surface enough to blacken it until it is no longer reflective.

I would say 400-500mW minimum.
 
It would be so fun if we were all in a lab with powerful adjustable modules of different colors so we can test it :D
 
Wesdaman14 said:
would my 250mw red laser be able to ignite black magazine paper ?

Magazine paper is hard to burn in the first place .
 
Diachi said:
[quote author=Wesdaman14 link=1214075368/0#2 date=1214080657]would my 250mw red laser be able to ignite black magazine paper ?

Magazine paper is hard to burn in the first place .
[/quote]
why is that ? Its thin and very weak. what happens if i just sharpie a part of the paper ?
 
Switch said:
It would be so fun if we were all in a lab with powerful adjustable modules of different colors so we can test it :D
That's where FrothyChimp comes in handy ;D

Diachi, I disagree with you about magazine paper being hard to burn :D It goes up pretty fast in a fire or above a match.
 


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