Laser+Page

Derrick, Kush, and Tim's information about lasers [] [] [] [] ~ here's an interactive website that teaches you all about lasers. []

We use lasers everyday in doing things like CD players, dental drills, tattoo removal, hair replacement, and eye surgery. Lasers can be used to find the distance of a distant object. when you shoot a laser at an object far away, it takes time for the laser light to reflect back and come to you. L.A.S.E.R. is an an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Lasers allow us to control light. There are many types of lasers such as: infrared lasers, ultraviolet lasers, and X-ray lasers. Lasers are also used for barcode scanning at a supermarket, cutting and welding, and even guiding ammunition such as: bullets, bombs, missiles, and warheads. Lasers can be dangerous. Precautions have to be taken when using them. In a few mere seconds of direct contant, perminent damage can be done to your eyes. Before the Laser there was the maser(**m**icrowave **a**mplification by **s**timulated **e**mission of **r**adiation) which was invented in 1954. The maser is like a laser, but it doesn't use visable light. Gordon Gould, who was a doctoral student at Columbia University under Charles Townes, is the supposed person to make the first light laser.

__**How Does a Laser Work?**__ There are two major components to a lazer. The ruby rod and flash tube. To activate the laser, you must turn on the flash tube. the light goes into the ruby rod and excites the atoms that then send out photon. The light reflects off the one mirrored side and goes out the other end as a laser beam**.** specular surfaces-glass, polished metal that was zero reflectivity exxcept at certain angles. Diffuse surfaces-matte white paint, reflectivity is uniform

=**__LAB REPORT__**= Purpose: To determine the reflective ability of different substances __**Hypothesis**__: The shiny, reflective objects will bounce the laser light more than the dull ones. __**IV**__: The object tested __**DV**__: Reflective ability __**Constants**__: laser, distance away from object, amount of light in room, where laser reflectied to. 1. Go into complete darkness with the materials and laser 2. Set up lab while light is on, have materials handy 3. Turn laser on and point at the object so the the reflection goes onto the white paper on the desk. 4. Observe which objects made the laser reflect the most and repeat using other surfaces.
 * Mirror || Shiny Folder || Metal Plate || Plastic Container ||
 * 1 trial || 1 trial || 1 trial || 1 trial. ||
 * __Procedure__**:

All of the materials tested reflected some, if not all of the laser light. Objects with a hard, shiny surface will reflect the light, but mirrors and metals reflect the best. The materials all seemed to reflect majority of the light, but only the mirror reflected all of it. There was a variationi in data because some materials reflect light better than others. For example, the mirror (shiny) reflected almost all light while the plastic container (partially shiny) reflected less light. The hypothesis was proven completely. The more shiny the object was, the more laser light was reflected. As shown in the data table, the mirror and the metal plate, that are signifigantly more shiny than the folder or plastic container, reflected more laser light. Laser Light is used to cut metal, guide missiles and warheads, and even scanning a barcode at the supermarket. Laser light can be highly dangerous. Safety needs to be taken when using lasers such as wearing laser resistant goggles and keeping the light focused on things it can't perminently harm. To help understand how light works you must know Newtons law of inertia. The light emmited from a laser will continue to bounce off of objects as long as they have reflective qualities. If the light is emmited onto paper it stops because paper is not reflective, but if shot at metal if reflects off it and continues to shine until it is stopped by an object that is unreflective.
 * Types of substances || Mirror || Shiny Folder || Metal Plate || Plastic Container ||
 * Reflective Ability || Great || OK || Good || OK ||
 * Observations || Reflected almost all light, stayed concentrated || Reflected almost half light || Reflected more than half light, spread out light || Reflected half light, spread out light, narrower ||
 * __Conclusion__**: