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Light intensity is like gravitation. It changes in accordance with the inverse square law.

What's an inverse square?

if our number is.......................................... 5 ORIGINAL NUMBER

the inverse of this number is.................... 1/5 INVERSE

and the inverse SQUARE of this number is 1/52 or 1/25. INVERSE SQUARE

But how does this answer your question?

As a light source increases its distance from an object (moves farther away) its intensity changes, it becomes less intense.

How much less intense?

Think of the inverse square law!

If your light source moves twice as far away

(distance increases by a factor of 2)

it becomes 1/4th as intense. (1/4th is the inverse square of 2)

Think of shining a flashlight on a tile floor. If you are 5 cm (very close) to the floor, the light from the flashlight will cover one tile and be very intense. However, if you move twice (2 times) as far away, (now you would be 10cm from the floor) you would notice that the same light streaming from the flashlight can now cover four whole tiles!

Two times the distance away now covers four whole tiles! Each tile is therefore receiving 1/4th the intensity of the light.

Taking it one step further, if you were to move 4 times away (now you are 20cm from the floor)...the light from your flashlight could cover 16 tiles!

So, each tile would be recieveing 1/16th the intensity of light.

Like I said in the beginning, the same is true when you are working with the Universal Law of Gravitation, so, if you understand light intensity, you will also understand gravitation!

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14y ago

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Related Questions

What happens to the light intensity if you half the distance to the source?

The light intensity increases by a factor of four when you half the distance to the source. This is known as the inverse square law, where light intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.


What increases or decreases the light intensity?

Light intensity can be increased by using a brighter light source or moving closer to the source. It can be decreased by using dimmer light sources or moving further away from the source. Other factors, such as obstacles blocking the light or adjusting the angle of the light source, can also impact light intensity.


What happens to the illuminance when you move away from the light source?

The intensity decreases.


What describes the effect of distance on the intensity of light?

As light travels further from its source, its intensity decreases with the square of the distance traveled. This is known as the inverse square law, meaning the intensity of light diminishes drastically as distance increases. This is due to the spreading out of light over a larger area as it travels further.


How does light intensity vary with distance form the source?

Light intensity decreases as distance from the source increases. This is because light spreads out in all directions as it travels, causing the same amount of light to be distributed over a larger area the further it travels. This decrease in light intensity follows an inverse square law, meaning that the intensity decreases proportionally to the square of the distance from the source.


Is there a relationship between the distance of the light source and the object?

Yes, there is a relationship between the distance of a light source and an object. The intensity of light decreases with increasing distance from the light source following the inverse square law. This means that the further the object is from the light source, the dimmer the light it will receive.


What is the light intensity formula and how can it be used to measure the brightness of a light source?

The light intensity formula is I P/A, where I is the intensity of light, P is the power of the light source, and A is the area over which the light is spread. This formula can be used to measure the brightness of a light source by calculating the intensity of the light emitted per unit area. The higher the intensity value, the brighter the light source is perceived to be.


What is the equation that relates the intensity of light to the power of the light source and the distance from the source?

The equation that relates the intensity of light to the power of the light source and the distance from the source is known as the inverse square law. It is expressed as: Intensity Power / (4 distance2)


What happens as light travels farther from its source?

As light travels farther from its source, it spreads out and disperses, causing its intensity to decrease. This is known as light attenuation. Additionally, light may interact with particles or obstacles in its path, leading to absorption, reflection, or scattering, further reducing its brightness.


If the distance from the light source is tripled how much does the light intensity change?

The light intensity decreases by a factor of nine when the distance from the light source is tripled. This relationship is governed by the inverse square law, which states that the intensity of light is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.


What is the increase and decreases the light intensity on a microscope?

To increase light intensity on a microscope, you can adjust the condenser aperture or use a brighter light source. To decrease light intensity, you can close the condenser iris diaphragm or dim the light source. Balancing light intensity is crucial for optimal viewing and imaging.


What determines the brightness of light?

The brightness of light is determined by the intensity of the light source, which is the amount of light energy emitted per unit of time. The greater the intensity of the light source, the brighter the light will appear.