Lightsaber Wavelengths

[Arcesious]

You know, the visible spectrum. Well something I find odd is:

 

Why do the Sith choose red all the time? That's one of the weakest wavelengths of light you can have in a lightsaber!

 

It would make sense to me that blue, cyan, and silver/white sabers are strongest. So basically, according to lightsaber physics, if a Jedi lightsaber is 'tuned' to a high enough blade strength, wouldn't it go right through a Sith's lightsaber blade and cause the Sith's lightsaber to overload?

[Astor]

It's an interesting theory, and one i'll let the more scientifically minded answer.

 

You have to remember, though, that real-world physics don't apply, or make all that much sense in Star Wars.

[Fredi]

Nice investigation man, I leave the answer to someone more into it that me as well, lol.

[Wookiee Rrudolf]

As far as I'm concerned the lightsaber's blade is suposed to be created of plasma caught in electromagnetic 'cage'. In that case the colour of blade is only side effect of plasma glow and have no impact on lightsaber's strength (though colour depends on crystal used and specific crystals have some extra features). It would mean that colour of blade has only decorative meaning and Sith use red lightsabers to look cool and evil

 

Also what do you mean by

That's one of the weakest wavelengths of light

[Darth_Yuthura]

You know that neutron stars are so intense that they give off ultraviolet radiation and can't be seen by our eyes? Actually a black or invisible saber would be more intense than any color because they would be gamma-ray-sabers instead.

 

Odds are that the color in itself does not represent the amount of energy given to the blade because if it were... it would be brighter than the sun in order to burn through anything so easily. The color is likely only a minor aspect of it.

[TriggerGod]

Also what do you mean by

 

Each color of light has a certain wavelength. Red has a weaker wavelength then say, blue, green, or silver.

 

But, to answer the Original Topic, I must ask several questions;

Can a [person in a] spaceship really just punch in some button and immediately go as fast as the speed of light?

Can such a thing called Medichlorians be able to allow people to defy the laws of gravity?

Can there be such a thing as a Twi'lek in real life that isn't created by genetic mutation?

 

Star Wars defys most laws of physics. There is very little "Reality" in Star Wars, short of Basic, Humans, and worlds that may resemble Earth. And some others that I can't exactly think off of the top of my head.

[Darth_Yuthura]

Also what do you mean by

 

I think he meant red had a lower frequency than blue or green light waves.

 

A single Red wave has more energy than one blue, but a number of smaller waves... with a higher frequency is more powerful.

[Rev7]

Indeed, that is a very interesting theory. Makes sense, but I gotta tell you that Star Wars doesn't. Very interesting though...

[Ray Jones]

For the record, wavelengths aren't strong or weak. It's a length, so it's short or long, hence the name, eh. Usually, radiation with shorter wavelength carries more energy as radiation with longer wavelengths does within a certain time.

[Negative Sun]

Red wins because of it's coolness wavelength being a million parsecs longer than blue

[TKA-001]

Red lightsabers obviously cut through stuff just as easily as blue ones, so the color obviously doesn't make a difference.

[Lance Monance]

The blade isn't light or laser. Though, whatever it is, it obviously emits light.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Why do the Sith choose red all the time? That's one of the weakest wavelengths of light you can have in a lightsaber!

 

The sith use red lightsabers because it symbolizes that the Jedi order no longer chains them to a corrupt goverment, the color red symbolizes the freedom that they now have and the blood they are willing to spill to accomplish their goals

[Darth Avlectus]

You know I was thinking about this actually. If you hadn't started this thread I might have.

 

 

Each color of light has a certain wavelength. Red has a weaker wavelength then say, blue, green, or silver.

 

But, to answer the Original Topic, I must ask several questions;

Can a [person in a] spaceship really just punch in some button and immediately go as fast as the speed of light?

Can such a thing called Medichlorians be able to allow people to defy the laws of gravity?

Can there be such a thing as a Twi'lek in real life that isn't created by genetic mutation?

 

Star Wars defys most laws of physics. There is very little "Reality" in Star Wars, short of Basic, Humans, and worlds that may resemble Earth. And some others that I can't exactly think off of the top of my head.

 

Silver is NOT a wavelength--at least not a 'singular' wavelength.

I know there are "white" lasers, but in actuality it is a RGB laser or a cluster of 3 lasers whose beams were combined via a prism or other optic. It looks odd, too, since what you essentially have are 3 beams of monochromatic wavelengths... in the same axis. Not to mention horrendous wavelength cancellations due to their competition. Still, it's something to behold.

Quite beautiful actually.

 

Visit http://www.repairfaq.org and go to the laser section. Read about the basics of laser light if you are REALLY interested. Though from the sound of it we already have some fairly technologically savy members here. A reason laser beams don't lock up when clashing is that there is no intractivity in their beams...much more than that and you've lost me...I mean c'mon I only occasionally build lasers. I don't know quantumn physics or ultra advanced optics. Though I wish I could comprehend all the stuff that a laser engineer does. That must be a fascinating job and a good paying one.

 

So far as what I actually think lightsabers are...plasma might explain part of it, though I can tell you from experience of using a plasma cutter that's not all. It doesn't do well on non-metals, namely wood.

Electromagnetics hmm? Seems a little broad, but if anyone (else) has a theory more specific than that? Please be my guest.

 

I would love to bust open the whole thing about mace's purple saber being a mixture of red and blue. Basically, red + blue explains pigmentation phenomena, NOT optical. TRY combining red and blue light, in most cases you actually get a pink color.

Go to your plant growing store and you might see what grow light I am referring to. The one with a massive LED array.

 

Violet is actually deeper off into the end of the spectrum than blue. Just before UV.

 

As a general rule higher wavelengths are more efficient with respect to carrying a signal since their signal peaks are closer together...and hopefully rayleigh scattering is minimal. Lower wavelengths have a little higher color temperature. With red being the hottest in the visible spectrum. Infrared being the hottest.

[Sabretooth]

What the hell is a weak wavelength

[Darth Avlectus]

No. Noooo. Come on.

 

I believe what was meant by "weak wavelength" was lower frequency.

However when you consider that higher frequencies (smaller nanometers) are much more prone to rayleigh scattering over distances in our atmosphere (which is why our sky is blue), the weak wavelength arguement begins to look subjective and relative to what you mean by "weak".

 

If weak means lower frequencies have less signal capacity than higher frequencies. Then yes. If weak means unable to go longer distances without degrading, then yes higher frequencies are weaker than lower ones. It's all relative.

 

Does that clear things up?

 

There are so many myths about lasers and how "strong" they are because of such-and-such. Whereas with lightsabers, their beam is something else entirely. Color happens to be that little extra thing. Lightsabers even at their weakest dismember most things with ease.

 

EDIT: as Jae pointed out so colorfully below, there is no real "WEAK" regarding the wavelengths. Which I thought I was implying?

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

WOW THANKS FOR THE EXPLANATION IT'S ALL SO CLEAR NOW

[Chevron 7 locke]

Cleared some of that up for me as well. thank you kind sir

[Darth Avlectus]

Cleared some of that up for me as well. thank you kind sir

 

OF course!

 

--------------

 

Remember kids, it's only funny until you blind a pilot and cause him to crash...THEN IT'S HILLARIOUS!

 

Ok not really.

[Darth333]

Why do the Sith choose red all the time? That's one of the weakest wavelengths of light you can have in a lightsaber!

Marketing, my dear... marketing! (and dazzling the masses)

[Chevron 7 locke]

Forgive me for saying this...but sith don't try to dazzle the masses, they try to slice them up with said lightsabers

[Darth Avlectus]

Oh, they have to dazzle SOMETIMES--don't they?

[Darth InSidious]

You know, the visible spectrum. Well something I find odd is:

 

Why do the Sith choose red all the time? That's one of the weakest wavelengths of light you can have in a lightsaber!

 

It would make sense to me that blue, cyan, and silver/white sabers are strongest. So basically, according to lightsaber physics, if a Jedi lightsaber is 'tuned' to a high enough blade strength, wouldn't it go right through a Sith's lightsaber blade and cause the Sith's lightsaber to overload?

 

Arcesious, it is my great pleasure to award you with the Windu6 Award For Speaking Pseudo-Scientific Bullcrap 2008. Normally, we require more brightly-coloured posting, but this post more than qualifies. Well done.

[Jae Onasi]

*Jae, who studied light and optics at the graduate level for like, 4 years, raises an eyebrow at the light wavelength "information"*

 

There is no such thing as weak or strong wavelengths. Red has a longer wavelength than the blue or violet end of the spectrum, and that's it. The shorter wavelengths have more energy, longer wavelengths have less. However, any color light can be used to create a laser of significant strength. In terms of visible light, you're talking a difference of 300 nanometers between the wavelengths of red and blue.

 

Now, if you can fully explain the science of lightsabers, great, we can get into a more serious discussion of light theory and optics. Otherwise, it's just a show and we really should just relax, and remember that Red=Evil and Blue and Green=Good, and Purple=Mace-Windu-Cool-to-the-Max, because George Lucas Said So.

 

"Anything is Possible!"

 

(DI, I want you to know I spent at least 3.8 minutes inputting all the bbcodes for all those colors)

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

i have a uv lightsaber maybe you've heard of it it's called the sun