What is the difference between infrared ultraviolet and visible light

Generally, IR radiation contains a spectrum of wavelengths. Thermal IR radiation also has a maximum wavelength that is proportional to the absolute temperature of the object from which the IR radiation is emitted.

Some of the smaller sections of the IR radiation band include near-infrared, short wavelength-infrared, mid-wavelength-infrared, long wavelength-infrared, and far-infrared radiation. In general, IR radiation is used as thermal radiation or heat radiation. Unlike the other methods of heat transfer, e. IR radiation that is emitted from human bodies is important in making the night vision equipment.

Ultraviolet radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength range of 10 nm — nm. Therefore, it has a shorter wavelength compared to that of the visible light. We can abbreviate it as UV radiation. This wavelength range is shorter than visible range but longer than the X-ray range. UV radiation is not a type of ionizing radiation, but it can cause the progression of certain chemical reactions.

In addition to the sunlight, we can produce UV radiation from electric arcs or specialized lights such as mercury lamp. Sunburns are a common side effect of exposure to UV radiation coming from sunlight. This goes in opposite to radiation with longer wavelength in which it has lower intensity and energy. The infrared has longer wavelengths nm to 1 mm than those of visible lights nm to nm.

Note though that visible light is the only radiation that can be seen by the human eye. The ultraviolet is much more intense and has a shorter wavelength nm to 10 nm compared to visible light. Lastly and the most intense radiation out of the three is the Xray. It has the shortest wavelength too among the three, ranging from 0.

What is the difference between x rays, ultraviolet, visible, and IR radiation? May 1, Explanation: Note that all of these are just different "intensities" of radiation and in a manner, different intensities of light. The visible light has a wavelength of nm to nm. The area alongside with a longer wavelength is the IR spectrum.

The majority of the IR radiation on earth comes from the sun. The area next to the visible light, with a shorter wavelength, is the UV spectrum. Each wavelength transports a certain amount of energy. The faster the frequency of these waves, the shorter the wavelength and the more energy the radiation can transport. So the shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency of the radiation, the more energy is transported into it.

This means that radiation with a short wavelength can penetrate deeper into material. Because the IR radiation has a longer wavelength than the visible light, it is in principle not harmful to the human body.