What is the Wavelength of Red Light?

In physics, light is a type of energy and it is in the form of electromagnetic radiation. The speed of light is approx 186282 miles per second. Electromagnetic radiation is a combination of electric and magnetic. These are classified by wavelength into radio waves, microwaves, and infrared signals. Here wavelength of signal means at what distance the signal shape repeats. When the wavelength is within the visible spectrum, then it is known as visible light. Light is measured in terms of wavelength or frequency. A human eye can respond 380 – 740 nanometers range of wavelength. In terms of frequency, the values will be 430-770 THz. A light can emit at different wavelengths. This article covers what is the wavelength of red light, the wavelength in angstroms, the wavelength of different lights in micrometers.


What is the Wavelength of Red Light?

The colors of the spectrum of light are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red (VIBGYOR). These are the basic colors and from these colors, by mixing together we can find the other colors which are not in VIBGYOR. So, the colors having mix wavelength values. Each color has its own wavelength.

The below image indicates the wavelength values of VIBGYOR colors.

colours-and-wavelengths
colours-and-wavelengths

From the above information, we can say that the wavelength of violet light has the least value and the wavelength of red light in micrometers has a higher value than other color wavelengths. There is a relation between wavelength and frequency.

equations-of-wavelength-frequency-speed
equations-of-wavelength-frequency-speed

From the above image, we can conclude that the three parameters which are frequency, wavelength and speed of light are related to each other. And each parameter can have its own importance. Therefore the wavelength of red light from the above data we can say that it should be between 620-720nm. Basically, the value is taken as 680nm. And also the wavelength of violet light is from 400-440nm, generally, the standard wavelength of violet light is 440nm. Same as this, the range of wavelength of green color is 500-570nm. The standard wavelength of the green color is 560nm. The range of the wavelength of blue light from 460-500nanometers. In the next section, we will know what angstrom is and how it’s going to be used in the wavelength of colors.

Wavelength in Angstroms

Angstrom is used for light to express its wavelength value. The name comes from the Swedish scientist  J Angstrom. One Angstrom value equals to 10−10 meter or 0.1 nanometers. This angstrom used to express the various wavelengths of lights like ultraviolet light (UV), X rays, gamma rays, and visible lights. In the past, people used to mention the wavelength values of visible light in angstroms but now it is not widely used. Whatever the lights can detect by the human eye has wavelengths from 4500 angstroms to 7000 angstroms. The below image indicates the VIBGYOR colors and their wavelength in angstroms.

colors-wavelength-in-angstroms
colors-wavelength-in-angstroms

From that above image:

  • The wavelength of red light is 7000 angstroms.
  • The wavelength of orange light is 6200 angstroms.
  • The wavelength of yellow light is 5600 angstroms.
  • The wavelength of green light is 5150 angstroms.
  • The wavelength of blue light is 4700 angstroms.
  • The wavelength of indigo light is 4400 angstroms.
  • The wavelength of violet light is 4100 angstroms.

Thus, the light can be defined in many ways and one standard definition of light in physics is – its electromagnetic radiation. And light can be in different representations based upon the VIBGYOR. By this VIBGYOR the different colors were born. Each color has its own wavelength and range. Finally, the red color has a high wavelength value than other colors. The violet color has the maximum frequency than the remain colors. This wavelength is a combination of the speed of light and frequency of the light.