📂Physics

Spectroscopy

Explanation^{1 2}

As shown in the above gif, breaking light into various colors is called a spectrum, or spectroscopy in Korean.

Spectroscopy is a branch of optics that focuses on observing and studying visible light that has been dispersed according to wavelength. However, its meaning has recently expanded to include the measurement and study of any physical quantity based on wavelength or frequency. The concept of the spectrum has also broadened to refer to a chart displaying measurements according to wavelength or frequency. Since specific frequency ranges of light are called visible light, it is natural to see such an expansion of meaning.

It can be said that spectroscopy began with Newton. Newton was the first to build a practical reflecting telescope and discovered that sunlight divides into various colors when passed through a prism. Newton believed that light was made of particles and tried to explain it using his theory of Newtonian mechanics, but this was impossible. As you all know, light possesses both wave and particle properties, is actually electromagnetic waves, and its speed is absolutely fixed, making it impossible to fully explain with Newtonian mechanics. Nevertheless, Newton was a pioneer in optics and spectroscopy.