Abstract:Sir William Herschel's discovery of “obscure rays,” extending beyond the red end of the visible spectrum, launched the exploration of the electromagnetic spectrum outside the visible range in the year 1800. The following year Johann Ritter demonstrated that invisible rays beyond the violet end of the spectrum are capable of chemical action. These three adjacent portions of the electromagnetic spectrum: infrared (IR), visible (vis), and ultraviolet (UV) are collectively known as optical radiation. Although infr… Show more
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