• Question: what is lazer light?

    Asked by Roksi to Micki, Aisling on 7 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by Maxim G.
    • Photo: Micki Mitchell

      Micki Mitchell answered on 7 Nov 2015:

      Laser light is a special kind of light that doesn’t naturally occur in nature. When you see “normal” light, it’s whitish, because it contains a wide range of wavelengths. Lasers come only in one wavelength, so they are a certain colour, depending on that wavelength (red, green, orange..). Also, Unlike natural light, which spreads, laser light is focused in a sharp beam. (we call that “collimated”).

    • Photo: Aisling Kerr

      Aisling Kerr answered on 11 Nov 2015:

      Laser is actually an acronym which stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. Like Micki said natural light is a combination of different colours of light, while laser light is monochromatic, which means it is just one colour. The laser takes a light source and causes a material to pump out light of a certain colour. This is called stimulated emission. It then amplifies the light produced and turns millions of light particles into trillions of light particles which are all lined up so they form a concentrated beam. Because it is lined up and collimated, the laser beam’s energy is focus onto one small point of intense power.

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