The full form of UV is Ultraviolet. UV light is electromagnetic radiation with a 10 to 400 nm wavelength, shorter than visible light but longer than X-rays. They are present in sunlight and provide 10% of the light that the sun produces.
UV Waves’ Characteristics
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One type of electromagnetic radiation the Sun emits is ultraviolet, dispersed as waves or particles with a certain frequency and wavelength. The characteristics of UV waves are as follows.
- Uv light wave wavelengths range from -1 x 10-8 to -4 x 10-7 metres.
- The frequency of UV light waves ranges from -7.5 x 1014 Hz to -3 x 1016 Hz.
- Uv light has shorter wavelengths than visible light.
- Dense clouds can block UV rays.
- UV light is utilised as a disinfectant in hospitals and labs.
- The near-ultraviolet spectrum is the closest to visible light.
- Far-ultraviolet ranges from the UV near to the UV extreme.
Ultraviolet Exploration
The discovery of UV radiation is one intriguing tale. In the 1800s, a guy named Johann Ritter attempted to confirm the existence of waves outside of the visible spectrum. It was well-known and accepted that blue light made it easier for photographic film to turn black than red. Ritter exposed that film to light beyond violet; as expected, the film’s colour altered. This provided evidence of UV radiation.
UV-ray usage
- UV lamps produce enough light to kill the bacteria.
- In hospitals, UV lights are used to sterilise surgical supplies.
- In the pharmaceutical industry and for water treatment, ultraviolet light is also employed.