MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: Do 2 intersecting beams of light pick up eachothers color?

Date: Tue Sep 4 13:50:12 2001
Posted By: Yaxun Liu, Grad student, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo
Area of science: Physics
ID: 999564598.Ph
Message:

If by "intersect each other" you mean the two beams
intersect each other, then the white beam is still
white after the intersection, and there will be a
white spot when it hits the wall. This is because
light (electromagnetic wave) obeys Maxwell's equations
which are linear, therefore the existence of red
light in a region where the white light passes does
not affect the white light, as if the red light does
not exist at all.


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