scott wrote:
>> However, it's really damn unusual for a material's electrical or 
>> magnetic properties to have any bearing at all on its optical properties.
> 
> I thought it was quite common, eg nearly all electrical conductors are 
> opaque.

...which the obvious exception of water, liquid NaCl, various kinds of 
crystals... ;-)

>> * Impure water is an excellent conductor, while pure water is a very 
>> good insulator. Yet both substances have almost identical optical 
>> properties.
> 
> I wouldn't exactly call impure water an "excellent" conductor, but more 
> conductive than pure water yes...

Depends what the impurities are and how much. ;-)

>> (I still can't figure out why you can use an oscilator to make radio 
>> waves, but not light rays...)
> 
> Lasers?

I don't actually know how those work. I was under the impression that it 
works by exciting atoms so that they emit photons - much the same way a 
lump of iron glows if you put it in a hot fire. (But with some mirrors 
in there to ensure the light only travels in one direction...)

Post a reply to this message