Abstract
In the first nine sections of his fourth lecture on light, John Tyndall explained how crystals rotate the plane of polarization of light passing through them: it is a consequence of the different refractive indices along different crystal axes. Thus, Tyndall identifies structural asymmetry—and its effect on the transverse vibrations of interatomic ether—as the cause of birefringence in crystals. In the final sections of his fourth lecture on light, included in the present chapter, we will see how particles suspended in a transparent medium also affect light propagation. But before moving on to this fascinating topic, Tyndall pauses to emphasizes how the undulatory theory of light provides a powerful organizing principle for understanding all of the surprising and beautiful phenomena thus far observed. Does Tyndall believe that the undulatory theory of light is true, or merely useful? How would you describe his philosophy of science?
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
How, if the air be blue, can the light of sunrise and sunset, which travels through vast distances of air, be yellow, orange, or even red?
—John Tyndall
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
Whewell.
- 2.
Removed from us since these words were written.
- 3.
The only essay known to me on the Undulatory Theory, from the pen of an American writer, is an excellent one by President Barnard, published in the Smithsonian Report for 1862.
- 4.
I have used helium neon lasers from scientific supply companies such as Sargent Welch, but a low-cost laser pointer is sufficient.
- 5.
For a comprehensive and mathematically sophisticated treatment of light scattering, see Sects. 9.6 and 9.7 of Jackson, J. D., Classical Electrodynamics, second ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1975. For a gentler treatment, see Sect. 32.5 in Volume I of Feynman, R.P., Leighton, R.B., and Sands, M.L., The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Commemorative ed., Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1989.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kuehn, K. (2016). Light Scattering. In: A Student's Guide Through the Great Physics Texts. Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21816-8_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21816-8_24
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-21815-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-21816-8
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)