Infrared RaysInfrared Rays

By Ryan Sprangers and

Nick Giordana

Discovery

• 1800 by Sir Frederick William Hershel

• Thought colors were associated with heat

• Used 3 thermometers with blackened bulbs to measure heat of different colors

• Studied beyond red light

• Discovered below red, or infrared, light had radiation

Sir Frederick William Herschel’s Process of Discovery

• Prism Mirror

History

• 1800 Discovered

• 1878: Bolometer is developed by Samuel Pierpoint Langley

• 1948 Moon Dust

• 1961 Germanium Bolometer is developed by Frank Low

• These all led to today’s uses

Today’s Usage

• Heat Foods Industry

• TV Remote Controls

• Space Usage

• Weather/Clouds

• Medicine

• Science

• Consumer Goods

Properties

• Travels at the speed of light

• Wavelengths

• Frequencies

• 3 categories– Near Infrared– Mid Infrared– Far Infrared

Pictures

Infrared Radiation

• Heat or thermal radiation

• Motion of atoms

• More movement = More infrared radiation

• Anything above absolute 0

emits infrared radiation

Future

• NASA, ESA, ISAS are doing research in space

• How planets, stars, galaxies are formed

• Finding new possible life on other planets

• Some studies are– Herschel Space Observatory– Darwin

Dangers

• Although infrared is important, it also has some dangers associated with it. The thin gold films on space crafts reflect infrared rays from the sun which can harm both people and the equipment on the craft.

• Wear sunglasses and sunscreen for protection