September 4, 2010
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Light as a wave
I'm not sure if I'm right,; but I was sitting on my bed and noticed two things:
(1) My shadow was cast rather strangely...it was distorted;my arm--it was so long!
(2) Then I noticed a stripey pattern which led to me noticing that the mobile hanging from my window was cast twice.
I looked back at my window/blinds, which were about 2/3 closed. And I imagined the duality of light to be responsible for the strangeness:
There is a screen on my window, but I'm pretty sure the screen is too fine for it to be responsible for the stripes; so I figured it might be related to the wave aspect of light--interference; and the existence of the more faded shadow/light may have been from diffraction. I don't really know, just speculation.
If anyone knows, feel free to explain =).
Comments (23)
I thought you were referring to the mass/energy properties of light =P
@npr32486 - Oops! Just the wave aspect, perhaps I should revise ^^", thanks!
Maybe you've acquired similar stretching powers to that of Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four.
It's obviously a ghost. Mhmm.
The wall isn't directly perpendicular to the light rays, that's probably why your arm looks long. It also looks like you have direct light shining on the wall, and then some light that is filtered through the blinds (it's really hard to understand the setup from those pictures) it looks like the light is coming through different parts of the blinds differently...
For your arms may be it is because its shadow is cast onto a plane not perpendicular to the source.
For the mobil : double reflection .? Partial reflection ? Difraction????
In friendship
Michel
i have no idea. =I
random thing that this reminds me of: i was really young when i first began noticing that my nose severely obstructs my sight. this irritated me for a long time, and even today i'm always conscious of how it gets in the way of seeing things. isn't it weird that everything you ever see is impacted by your nose?
That looks really cool! And I have no idea-physics is not my forte [as you know]
Also, your room looks neat and organized...or is that only your desk?
From the sound of it, you're not a fan of Turkoglu? Lol. USA, USA!
Did you find locusts in your computer? (and did you figure out this light thing?)
nice lighting
This is interesting, but it's hard to picture from looking at the photos. I think I'd agree with Phantom though...at least that's what it seems like! I can tell from this post that you're easily distracted by random (but interesting) observations haha
@stormx11 - sorry for delayed response!! wah! Turkoglu switched from Orlando, prob for $$$
haha. But no I don't really mind too much 
. I jest =)
@nyclegodesi24 - Hahaha, omg! I try to ignore it...it's just one of those things that if you notice it, it'll drive you nuts until you tune it out. Like buzzing or ringing in my ears...D:!
Hope you've been well!!
@phantomFive - Nope I didn't figure out the light thing. But the stretched out arm/not perpendicular thing makes sense. Just like how tall my shadow can look despite my vertically challenged-ness. >_> hehe.
Hehe, I didn't understand that xkcd comic O_O..I've been so busy from school and my friends are actually being more social/active this semester, so that's also been luring me out of my hobbit-hole/ dorm...exhausting either way. I hope things have been going well! I heard the weather is really warm in Cali/uncomfy? My sis is out in LA at the present.
Yeah, it was warm last week, indian summer, but this week it finally got cold and rainy.
@phosphor_stars -
heh i've been well, how about you!? are you in med school or what?
Don't be a Miami Heat Fan!
@stormx11 - Oh don't worry, I won't be! No support for Miami
..As a side note, I wonder how all those stars will like having to share ball-time and the spotlight...Wonder if they're getting along well, etc. :O
@nyclegodesi24 - glad you've been well! i've been super stressed out with school again; the past two weeks have been hell-weeks with so many exams/papers etc. due; but I'm finally done with those until Nov! Yay, slightly less stressed =). I should be starting med school next fall, so not yet =). Law school treating you okay? Has the material become better since that one post of yours?
@phosphor_stars -
ahh, don't you hate it when they squeeze all the tests together? glad you have at least two weeks of rest though! law school has been getting tougher, but i'm getting better at my study habits as well, so i'm sorta riding the crest of its wave right now. =]
Good stuff! If the Miami Heat implodes, I'll watch it for the soap opera.
My explanation is that your arm grew longer over night and you didn't know...
Haha fail...sigh >__<.