Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: thedoc on 22/08/2012 12:30:02

Title: Can you generate visible light with a radio antenna?
Post by: thedoc on 22/08/2012 12:30:02
Brandon Lewis  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I understand that light and radio are very much the same kind of thing. Yet the equipment we use to generate visible light is very different from that which we use to generate radio. Why is that? Could you generate visible light from apparatus similar to that used to transmit radio? I.e. could you build a transmitter and "tune" it emit a visible frequency? If so, what would it look like (I am imagining some sort of glowing antenna)? If not, why not?

Brandon

What do you think?