Radio waves vs light waves

In article ,
"Jim Fisher" wrote:

Then again, if you observe the wave/particle, your observation changes the
outcome of the observation. This is called the "Ya Just Nevah Know" theory.

Also known as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.

Computer bugs that only happen when you disable your debugging tools are
therefore known as "Heisenbugs."


Scrawled on a toilet stall at Caltech sometime in the early '80s:

"Heisenberg sat here yesterday."

Then, in different handwriting immediately below:

"Pauli was here at the same time."


I'll explain it anyone wants, but Teacherjh seems to be doing a better
job with explaining this stuff that I probably could.

Scrawled on a toilet stall at Caltech sometime in the early '80s:
"Heisenberg sat here yesterday."
Then, in different handwriting immediately below:
"Pauli was here at the same time."


I was there. It goes:

"Heisenberg might have been here."
"Pauli was here too, but not at the same time."

It refers to the Heisenberg uncertanty principle (one can measure the position
or momentum of a particle, but not both at the same time (*)), and the Pauli
exclusion principle (no two electrons (**) can be in the same state at the same
time)

(*) You can measure them both, but the more accurately you measure one, the
less accurate the other is. It's not too farfetched to say that the concept of
a particle having a precise position and momentum at the same time is
meaningless.

(**) Not just electrons, but an entire class of particles (called Fermions)
behave this way. Common fermions are electrons, protons, and neutrons.
Compare with Bosons, which like to be in the same state. Photons are bosons,
which is why a laser works... all the light waves can line up in step. An
electron laser would be impossible (or would lead to a huge physics advance)

All this is related to aviation in that thinking about it makes one high. g

Jose


--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

"Teacherjh" wrote in message

....Compare with Bosons, which like to be in the same state.

Not true. There used to be great herds of bosons, and they would roam
across several states in the great plains. They're gone now.

:-)

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:%uRYb.353608$na.522124@attbi_s04...
[...]
I've never heard of anyone frying their retinas by looking at a radio
transmitter, but this begs the question: Can the lens in your eye focus
radio waves?

No. Even though they are "the same" kind of physical manifestation, the
difference in wavelength is very significant. Radio waves behave "the same"
as light waves in that they can be blocked, reflected, refracted, etc. but
because of the frequency difference, it will require different kinds of
materials to produce "the same" effects.

The lens in your eye is not going to have any significant effect on the
transmission of radio waves through that lens.

Which is not to say that "powerful radio waves" are not landing on your
retina. They are. They just haven't been focused by your eye's lens.

There's nothing to worry about though. We are all constantly bombarded by
radio waves coming from every direction, in all sorts of wavelengths.
"They" say that the radio waves are harmless. You believe "them", don't
you?

Pete

Everyone else has focused (!) on wavelength, but no one has mentioned
radiated power. Wavelength is to color as power is to brightness.
Anyone know how many watts a VOR transmitter radiates?
I would suspect is it no more than a few hundred, about equivalent to
a common outdoor floodlight. The energy of even the reflected sunlight
reaching your eye, Jay, was probably several orders of magnitude
more than the energy from the VOR.


Ross Oliver

"Ross Oliver" wrote in message
...

Everyone else has focused (!) on wavelength, but no one has mentioned
radiated power.

That's because the question was "does my lens focus the radio waves", not
"is my retina being cooked".

Duh.

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message ...
"Ross Oliver" wrote in message
...

Everyone else has focused (!) on wavelength, but no one has mentioned
radiated power.

That's because the question was "does my lens focus the radio waves", not
"is my retina being cooked".

There have been cases of people getting their eyeballs and other body
parts "cooked" by exposure to strong RF, particularly microwaves, due
to the same principle by which your (duh) microwave oven works. Tissue
damage occurs because of simple heating of molecules of matter from
the sheer raw power of the RF, not due to any "focusing" of
wavelengths.

The eyes, due to the high water content, are especially susceptible to
such damage.

"One's Too Many" wrote in message
om...
There have been cases of people getting their eyeballs and other body
parts "cooked" by exposure to strong RF

So?

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Ross Oliver" wrote in message
...

Everyone else has focused (!) on wavelength, but no one has mentioned
radiated power.

That's because the question was "does my lens focus the radio waves", not
"is my retina being cooked".

A front silvered mirror will.

Jay Honeck wrote:

Okay, here's a weird one for the group: Radio waves are the same as light
waves, except they're not in the visible spectrum, right?

I've never heard of anyone frying their retinas by looking at a radio
transmitter, but this begs the question: Can the lens in your eye focus
radio waves?

If not, why not?


Ok, I'll try to keep it simple and free from techno babble:

1. I'm an electronics engineer for CBS television network, trust me.

2. Radio waves, micro waves, visible light, x-rays are all
"electromagnetic (EM) radiation". BUT...
as the frequency changes, the physical properties change. Thats one
reason they have
different names.

3. The lenses of your eyes DO NOT focus radio waves, micro waves, or
x-rays. Only
visible light and adjacent EM radiation like infra-red and
ultra-violet.

4. Low level radiation does not harm your eyes. But if you get close
enough to a live, high power
radio transmitter, the radio waves CAN cause damage. Like the flame
from an arc-welder.
If you look at an arc-welding flame from 1,000 ft away, no
problem. If you look at
an arc welding flame from 2 feet away (no protection) you get
fitted for a white cane.
Just stay a few feet away from any HIGH POWER radio transmitter and
there is
no health problem. Low level transmitters like cell phones do not
cause medical problems,
only internet rumors.

5. Consider the following examples of how different forms of EM
radiation have different
physical properties:

-Soda Glass will totally block ultra-violet light while passing
radio waves, microwaves,
visible light, and x-rays.

-A sheet of black paper will block visible light, but pass radio
waves, microwaves, and
x-rays.

-A glass of water will partially block radio waves, totally block
microwaves, partially block
light waves, and pass x-rays.

-A sheet of aluminum foil will totally block radio waves,
microwaves, light waves, but
pass x-rays. (nothing but a couple tons of lead totally blocks
x-rays)