Lasers - The New Mythical Gift Of Fire
Author: Doug Smith
Author: Doug Smith
In Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus gave the gift of fire
to Humanity. It provided warmth, light, and energy. Whether or
not you believe that myth, humanity has learned to concentrate
that light into beams of unimaginable power:
Lasers.
What does that word make you think of first? Science fiction
ray guns? A secret agent strapped to a table while a
metal-melting beam of light inches toward him? Or maybe the
master thief throwing dust in the air to reveal a deadly maze
of red laser beams guarding the treasure?
Those are all popular but outdated images of the laser. Today,
lasers vanquish different foes such as unwanted hair, vision
correction, and even tumors.
How is a beam of light able to delicately reshape the surface
of the eye, yet still be able to cut steel?
LASER is an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation." In this definition radiation doesn't
refer to nuclear radiation, but to electromagnetic radiation.
The electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves,
infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and
X-rays. Some light wavelengths are visible, and other are not
unless special equipment is used ( e.g., infrared cameras,
night-vision goggles).
Lasers operate by concentrating the strength of various forms
of light. The strengthened beam is an almost perfectly straight
beam, called a coherent beam. "Coherent" means that almost all
of the light energy (photons) are traveling in the same
direction. The laser light energy stays focused on a smaller
area with greater power.
Compare this to an incoherent light source such as a light
bulb, which emits photons in many directions and at many
wavelengths. This is the job of a bulb, because we want visible
energy spread out as much as possible.
A flashlight also uses a light bulb, but also contains a curved
mirror to approximate a more coherent beam. The light from the
strongest commercial spotlight (essentially a giant flashlight)
will disperse in the atmosphere after a relatively short
distance. A laser beam can be bounced off the moon!
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEhelp/ApolloLaser.html
A closer analogy to a laser is a magnifying glass. Remember as
a child how you got the sun's rays to focus on a tiny spot that
got hot enough to burn? That's similar to what a laser does,
unless you moved the magnifying glass. Then the focus was lost
and the sunlight was no longer concentrated. Because the laser
employs a coherent beam, that essentially means it stays
focused no matter the distance! Think of it link an infinite
magnifying glass.
Lasers can perform a multitude of different tasks at different
power levels. Specific light wavelengths and beam strengths can
be achieved by altering the light source, power source, and even
the color of the light. This extreme versatility allows both the
shaping of a delicate cornea and the cutting of industrial
steel.
The laser in your CD player won't cut steel, but neither can
the industrial laser play a music CD without destroying it.
Matching the right laser power to the right job enables us to
safely harness this magical new fire.
Learn more about medical lasers and laser hair removal by using
the resources below.
About The Author: Visit Hair Removal Answers at
http://www.HairRemovalAnswers.com and Laser Hair Removal at
http://Laser.HairRemovalAnswers.com for Free Laser Hair Removal
Facts, Answers, and Articles for Both Men and Women. Learn How
To Tell If You're A Candidate For Laser Hair Removal, How It
Works, and What The Side Effects Are. Always Free! Click now.
to Humanity. It provided warmth, light, and energy. Whether or
not you believe that myth, humanity has learned to concentrate
that light into beams of unimaginable power:
Lasers.
What does that word make you think of first? Science fiction
ray guns? A secret agent strapped to a table while a
metal-melting beam of light inches toward him? Or maybe the
master thief throwing dust in the air to reveal a deadly maze
of red laser beams guarding the treasure?
Those are all popular but outdated images of the laser. Today,
lasers vanquish different foes such as unwanted hair, vision
correction, and even tumors.
How is a beam of light able to delicately reshape the surface
of the eye, yet still be able to cut steel?
LASER is an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation." In this definition radiation doesn't
refer to nuclear radiation, but to electromagnetic radiation.
The electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves,
infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and
X-rays. Some light wavelengths are visible, and other are not
unless special equipment is used ( e.g., infrared cameras,
night-vision goggles).
Lasers operate by concentrating the strength of various forms
of light. The strengthened beam is an almost perfectly straight
beam, called a coherent beam. "Coherent" means that almost all
of the light energy (photons) are traveling in the same
direction. The laser light energy stays focused on a smaller
area with greater power.
Compare this to an incoherent light source such as a light
bulb, which emits photons in many directions and at many
wavelengths. This is the job of a bulb, because we want visible
energy spread out as much as possible.
A flashlight also uses a light bulb, but also contains a curved
mirror to approximate a more coherent beam. The light from the
strongest commercial spotlight (essentially a giant flashlight)
will disperse in the atmosphere after a relatively short
distance. A laser beam can be bounced off the moon!
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEhelp/ApolloLaser.html
A closer analogy to a laser is a magnifying glass. Remember as
a child how you got the sun's rays to focus on a tiny spot that
got hot enough to burn? That's similar to what a laser does,
unless you moved the magnifying glass. Then the focus was lost
and the sunlight was no longer concentrated. Because the laser
employs a coherent beam, that essentially means it stays
focused no matter the distance! Think of it link an infinite
magnifying glass.
Lasers can perform a multitude of different tasks at different
power levels. Specific light wavelengths and beam strengths can
be achieved by altering the light source, power source, and even
the color of the light. This extreme versatility allows both the
shaping of a delicate cornea and the cutting of industrial
steel.
The laser in your CD player won't cut steel, but neither can
the industrial laser play a music CD without destroying it.
Matching the right laser power to the right job enables us to
safely harness this magical new fire.
Learn more about medical lasers and laser hair removal by using
the resources below.
About The Author: Visit Hair Removal Answers at
http://www.HairRemovalAnswers.com and Laser Hair Removal at
http://Laser.HairRemovalAnswers.com for Free Laser Hair Removal
Facts, Answers, and Articles for Both Men and Women. Learn How
To Tell If You're A Candidate For Laser Hair Removal, How It
Works, and What The Side Effects Are. Always Free! Click now.
