Optics

Building your own LED light bulb is a great way to avoid paying exorbitant prices for LED bulbs, which -- since the technology is still relatively new -- can be very costly. Building your own LED...

Laser beam pointers sold to the public are limited in the power of the laser beam they project. A Mag light can be used to make your own laser pointer that will be more powerful and so travel a...

Oh! No, the lights have gone out. This looks like a job for a light bulb changer such as yourself. Following the directions in this article shall make you a professional light bulb changer.

Night vision goggles were invented for use by the military. Over the years, they have become popular among law enforcement agencies and hunters. The technology that makes night vision possible is...

High pressure sodium is a type of lighting. Sodium is placed under extreme pressure, which, when mixed with other elements, causes light. High pressure sodium lamps contain sodium, mercury and...

Infrared is light that has a wavelength longer than visible red light. The ranges of infrared include near infrared, mid infrared and far infrared, spanning wavelengths from about 710 nanometers...

A light curtain is an array of photoelectric light that releases and receives modulated light beams used to detect the presence of a vehicle.

There are many different types of light bulbs available, so many that it can be confusing to choose the right light bulb for the job. However, the kind of bulb that is used can make a noticeable...

As the world becomes increasingly concerned about energy resources, new and more energy-efficient technology is being developed and enhanced. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are an example. Lowering...

The letters LED stand for Light Emitting Diode. The important thing to remember about LEDs is that they produce light when a current flows through them in only one direction. They do not work the...

Generated from the constructive interference of scattered light, holograms are three-dimensional representations of physical objects. To holographically capture an object, shine a primary light...

Compound microscopes use two lenses to magnify a specimen, whereas light microscopes use only one lens. Another major difference between compound microscopes and light microscopes is their power...

Light microscopes, also known as optical microscopes, are fundamental magnification devices that have been used by the scientific community for over four centuries. The ultimate limit for a light...

Light radiates from its source randomly and equally in electromagnetic waves. Light polarization most often occurs because of reflection. Polarizing filters are used in photography and science to...

Those extra bright, blue hued headlights heading toward you on the highway are xenon bulbs. While far more expensive than regular halogen lamps, xenon headlamps in autos last up to three times...

Infrared light is one of the most commonly discussed forms of light within the spectrum. At the most basic, infrared light is referred to as heat; it is a type of radiation, the wavelengths of...

What we call "light" is actually several small packets of energy called "photons." A photon can carry different amounts of energy, which causes the photon to vibrate at a certain frequency. These...

If you have ever watched a forensic crime show on television where investigators were searching for evidence using a light source that is bluish-purple in color, then you've seen a black light....

The Kinamax Infrared Night Vision Webcam comes equipped with six laser-emitting diodes (LEDs), infrared night vision, a 1.3 megapixel (MP) webcam with audio microphone and universal serial bus...

Measuring distances has been an important part of engineering throughout history. While ancient builders used basic guides, craftsmen quickly began creating better measurement tools. From paces...

For many people, their knowledge of black light is related to black light posters, which are designed to glow in the dark. However, black light has many more uses, in industries as varied as...

This article provides an overview of microscopic resolution, from the definition of resolution to recent advances within the field.

Ever since the introduction of the LED [light emitting diode] to the general lighting industry, we have been witnessing more and more diverse applications of their use.One of the first has been...

A photocell's resistance changes as its face is exposed to varying levels of light. When there is no light, the sensor may look like a large resistor. However, as the light level increases, the...

Lighting is a necessity for virtually everyone on earth. Just over 10 decades ago we were just in the infancy of it all and appreciated the newness of being able to have light by just flipping a...

A "switch" is a device that opens or closes an electrical circuit. In your home, a light switch mounted on the wall turns the flow of electricity on or off to a lighting fixture. Proximity...

A Dobsonian telescope is a Newtonian reflector type of telescope and is made up of an alt-azimuth mount and Sonotube. A Dobsonian telescope is a low-cost telescope that is designed to view deep...

Creating your own flashlight is a basic electronics chore that is often undertaken in beginner circuitry classes. The simple circuit used to illuminate a light bulb, relatively low voltage and...

A metal halide fixture functions similarly to other gas discharge lights. The light is produced from an electric current being passed through gases. In this case, the gases through which the...

A laser is a device that emits light, in many different forms and levels of concentration. LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Crystals are used in...

In a classic optical microscope, also known as the simple "light" microscope, visible light is sent through a series of lenses to magnify a sample. A polarizing microscope is an optical microscope...

A metal halide light functions similarly to other gas discharge lights. The light is produced from an electric current being passed through gases. In this case, the gases through which the...

If you're looking to light up a light bulb without using any sort of lamp, the answer is to use a lemon. Whether you're trying an experiment for a science project or just curious, this is a great...

Near the end of the 19th century, Thomas Edison invented a new and revolutionary lighting source, requiring no burning of whale oils or gas which would also shed light on their needs with even...

The main component of an overhead projector is the base. This base contains a clear glass top with an interior light. A small fan on the back of the unit removes heat that is produced by the...

Lasers are a unique form of light emissions that have gained a reputation for enhancing cutting edge technology through scientific experiments. But what is a laser, and why is laser light so much...

Photonics is the ability to send and receive information by running laser light projections through tiny glass tubes, or fibers. The laser beam is sent in a series of pulses, with each pulse...

The technical term for a solar cell is a photovoltaic cell, where "photo" means light in Greek , and "voltaic" means electrical. The presence of light energy was first recognized in 1839; however,...

Motion detectors are used in a wide variety of places. There are many different types such as radar motion detectors, bugler detectors, sound detectors and infrared detectors. Each type reacts to...

The word laser is actually an acronym that stands for "light amplified by the stimulated emission of radiation," which is the technical description of how a laser beam is made. In layman's terms,...

There are two issues you want to address with your home--security and electric efficiency. Here is a simple procedure to address both issues at the same time by installing a wall-mounted motion...

Microscopes can bring those seemingly invisible creatures of our earth to life on your glass slide. Sometimes the light bulb gets too dim or burns out. If your microscope light bulb needs to be...