Isaac Newton is without a doubt one of the most celebrated scientists. He started experimenting with his honored phenomenon of colors in the late 1660s. In that historical epoch, people believed that color was composed of only white light and darkness. Many also thought that the prism colored light, as articulated in Hooke’s theory, although Newton later showed this to be untrue. Newton’s discovery revolutionized the light industry, as it inspired myriad scientists and led to the discovery of groundbreaking apparatus that have had a huge impact on human life.
Moving on, Newton set up a prism by a window and projected a 22-foot spectrum light on its surface in his 1666 experiment. The prism split the spectrum to form the six colors of light; namely, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The renowned scientist set another spectrum adjacent to the first one, which refracted all the colors, recombining them with the previous beam of white light. The suggestion is that his experiment demonstrated that colors come from light alone.
Initially, scholars believed that different colors emanated from the prism due to its deformity. The demonstration excited many artists, as no one questioned Newton’s ideas about light and color for the next 130 years. In 1810, Johan wolfgangon Goethe published a 1400-page treatise, emphasizing on the light and color ideas. Goethe’s work was the re-launching ground of Newton’s perception of color and light.
Furthermore, in 1802 William Hyde Wollaston created a spectrometer that included the lens that let the spectator focus the sunlight beams on a screen. He realized that colors were not spread the same way but that they left missing patches that looked like dark bands in the spectrum. He believed that the bands were boundaries separating each color. Joseph Von Farunhofer later used Wollaston’s idea to produce spectra, which are utilized in several modern laboratories. Throughout the 1880s, different scientists worked on techniques and comprehension of spectroscopy.
It is also important to note that the discovery that it was possible to have different metals distinguished by diverse and bright lines due to the fact that they emit spectra of their sparks was a turning point for science. The production was a direct alternative method to the famous spectroscopy. David Walter later in 1853 produced and published his observations on the spectra of gases and metals where he included independent views of hydrogen as pinpointed by Anders Angstrom.
Moving one, in the 1860s, Gustav Kirchhoff, a German physicist, and chemist Robert Bunsen managed to provide a systematic attribution of the spectra to the researched chemical elements. The two experimentalists applied the optical methodologies of Fraunhofer. Bunsen was successful in improving the source of the light beam as well as systematized experimental procedures to a more informed examination of the spectra of different chemical compounds. Bunsen and Kirchhoff established a clear link between chemical elements and their classified spectral patterns, which later metamorphosed to analytical spectroscopy.
In 860, Bunsen and Kirchhoff published their findings on spectra of eight elements and identified them in different locally existing compounds. Their study further demonstrated that spectrometry was ideal in tracing chemical analysis of several chemical components. The two scientists also established the link between absorption and emission lines. For instance, they showed how solar light is absorbed and emitted. This information is well-documented in Kirchhoff’s Law of Thermal Radiation. In addition, Kirchhoff outlined three main principles of spectroscopy. Firstly, he argued that all incandescent objects under pressure emit a continuous spectrum. This principle covered solids, liquids, and gases. Secondly, he discovered that hot gas produces bright line spectrum when subjected to low pressure. Finally, he hypothesized that any source that produces continuous spectrum focused through low-density cool gas generates an absorption line spectrum.
Newton’s ideas were also influential in science, as William Huggins and his wife used spectroscopy to prove that stars were made of similar elements like the earth. The scientists further used a Doppler shift equation on the spectrum to determine the axial speed of Sirius star in 1868. Moreover, the two used spectral techniques to distinguish nebulae from galaxies. All these inventions improved the field of astronomy.
In the contemporary world, quantum mechanics, which is highly celebrated, is a product of spectroscopy. Newton’s work on light led to the development of science since several scholars used his ideas to generate several principles that are still in use today. For instance, Le-Blon was the first to build a three-color printer using primary colors; of course, his work was influenced by the ideas of Newton. Moreover, the computer screens, televisions, and mobile devices apply the principle of Newton’s Opticks.
A team of essay writing experts from Write My Paper Hub summarize, Newton’s experiment led to the discovery of the colors of light. He proved wrong the existing fallacy that light was made of black and white colors. His invention revolutionized science, as it led to the innovation of apparatus that use scientific principles, such as the colored printing press and x-ray.
Bibliography
Breslin, Ann, and Alex Montwill. 2013. Let There Be Light: The Story of Light from Atoms to Galaxies, 2nd ed. London: Imperial College Press.
Newton, Isaac. 2014. Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections and Colours of Light, 1st ed. Memphis, Tenn: General Books.