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Why cant you see the laser beam while it is traveling through the air?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Normal (non-coherent) light IS visible in air, just not too noticeably. If something is "visible" then that means specifically that "visible light" (aka light in the visible spectrm) is reaching your eyes. Lasers are only special because instead of being many wavelengths of light, they only emit one wavelength of light. And if that particular wavelength is not in your area then you will see that one more than others. Notice that a laser "tints" the wall red. If you put a red laser on a blue wall then you will see purple dot; etc..
That's why you see the sunset when the sun is no longer in view, the light being scattered by the air and the particles in the air. It's also why the sky is blue, with blue light being scattered by the atmosphere more than the red.
But that aside, a low power red laser is not very visible in the air since the longer wavelength of the red light doesn't scatter well off the air molecules. Larger dust or smoke particles in the air can reflect the low power red laser and you see the twinkling effect as the beam hits the individual particles.
On the other hand, a the shorter wavelength of a blue-green laser scatters off the air molecules more effectively, so you can see the photons scattering off from the beam.
A very high power laser in air is another story. It has sufficient energy to ionize the air within the beam (like a lightning channel) and this ionized air glows with its own emitted light.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoA laser beam travels through the air. You can't see it because the laser light isn't reaching your eye. If the laser is shone at you, you'll see it.
When it's foggy or there's dust or other particles in the air, you can see the laser beam. This is because the particles scatter the light so some of it reaches your eye.
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What do you call a beam of light so powerful that it can cut through light?
laser beam
What does laser beam mean?
A laser is the device itself, the beam is.. well, the beam coming out of the laser.
XmcmxjWhy do you only see laser beams through dust or through cloudy water?
The reason we can only see lasers through dust or cloudy water is because our eye can only see light that enters directly into them. When a laser travels across our plane of vision the laser beam is traveling in a straight line, but when it hits the small particles of dust that light is being reflected in an infinite number of directions. A portion of those reflected light rays enter our eyes resulting in what appears to be a laser beam.
What is the name for a beam of light which can cut through metal in a few hundredths of a second?
A laser.
What happens to the beam of a laser if you shined it through a prism?
shine off the surface and reflect back
What do you call a beam of light so powerful that it can cut through light?
laser beam
What does laser beam mean?
A laser is the device itself, the beam is.. well, the beam coming out of the laser.
How does the laser works?
The laser works by reflecting and amplifying a beam of light through a tube of mirrors.
How can you get laser?
How can yo u get laser beam?What is laser beam characteristics and principles?
What is the narrow beam of light?
A laser beam (which is shot through a ruby or gas to make it so fine)
What can you use to split a laser beam?
The most common method is through the use of a beam splitter. This employs -- to keep it simple -- a partially transparent mirror placed at a 45 degree angle relative to the laser beam. Some of the beam passes through the mirror, and the rest is reflected perpendicular to the original beam by the mirror.
XmcmxjWhy do you only see laser beams through dust or through cloudy water?
The reason we can only see lasers through dust or cloudy water is because our eye can only see light that enters directly into them. When a laser travels across our plane of vision the laser beam is traveling in a straight line, but when it hits the small particles of dust that light is being reflected in an infinite number of directions. A portion of those reflected light rays enter our eyes resulting in what appears to be a laser beam.
Can a laser beam blow a hole through titanium?
In certain circumstances, a laser beam can potentially blow a hole through titanium. The effectiveness of the laser depends on its power, focus, and duration of exposure to the material. However, it is worth noting that titanium is a strong and durable metal, so it would require a powerful and focused laser beam to achieve this outcome.
What is caution laser beam?
"Caution Laser Beam" is a phrase used on warning signs and labels to alert users and passersby that a laser beam may be present.
What is the name for a beam of light which can cut through metal in a few hundredths of a second?
A laser.
Why laser produces Gaussian beam?
A laser produces a Gaussian beam because of the diffraction effect of the laser beam passing through an aperture. The electric field distribution of the beam follows a Gaussian shape due to the wave nature of light. This results in a beam that has a bell-shaped intensity profile with a narrower central peak and gradually decreasing intensity towards the edges.
Why a laser beam cannot be dispersed by passing it through a glass prism?
The laser beam is a highly monochromatic source of light. It consists of only one wavelength and hence does not get dispersed by using a glass prism.
