The irradiance of light from a point source is 32 W m⁻² at a distance of 4.0 m from the source - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 15 - 2016
Question 15
The irradiance of light from a point source is 32 W m⁻² at a distance of 4.0 m from the source.
The irradiance of the light at a distance of 16 m from the source is... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The irradiance of light from a point source is 32 W m⁻² at a distance of 4.0 m from the source - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 15 - 2016
Step 1
Find the relationship between irradiance and distance
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Answer
The irradiance (I) of light from a point source is inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) from the source. This can be expressed as:
Iimesr2=k
where k is a constant.
Step 2
Calculate the constant k
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Answer
Using the information provided:
At 4.0 m, I = 32 W m⁻²:
k=Iimesr2=32imes(4.0)2=32imes16=512
Step 3
Calculate the irradiance at 16 m
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Answer
Now, using the constant k to find the irradiance at 16 m:
I=r2k=(16)2512=256512=2.0Wm−2
Step 4
Select the correct answer
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Answer
From the calculations, the irradiance at a distance of 16 m is 2.0 W m⁻². Therefore, the correct answer is:
C 2.0 W m⁻²
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