Light Characteristics

Light is easier to understand in terms of what it does than of what it is. The things it does are about as varied as the things it touches. Each substance has its own unique composition and structure, and handles light in a difway. When the word light is used it y means visible light. Visible light is ly only a very small part of the total y which is of a type known as electromag-radiation. Solid substances have an effect of this electromagnetic radiation. Their julation of visible light is of greater in when dealing with gemstones. Some the reaction between gemstones and ; light produces phenomenal and often full or exotic results. Some of these i will be discussed here are color, schiller, >m and chatoyancy, fire, and fluorescence.

color: Color, or perhaps even its absence, sn the most striking characteristic of a one. Basically, the color of a solid object ids on how it absorbs, transmits, or re-the various wavelengths or colors of light Lich it is exposed. "White" light is com-of a whole series of wavelengths or colors. 1 it strikes a solid object some of the colors be absorbed by the atomic structure as I energy. If this absorbed energy is con-1 to heat and then dissipated it is, in , lost to the observer. However, there is possibility that it will be converted to a ent visible wavelength and passed on . Assuming that some of it is absorbed, or all of the remaining wavelengths are :ed or reflected at the surface and come to the observer as something other than :, because some wavelengths have been acted from the original. Perhaps some or ill travel through the gemstone or diamond wedding bands instead of eye. If all wavelengths are absorbed, no light is reflected or transmitted and the solid looks black. If all are partially absorbed in an equal amount, the stone reflects or transmits gray.