Before Fraunhofer the intensity of the light of different parts of the
spectrum remained undetermined with any degree of accuracy; but this
philosopher, by the use of a very delicate photometer, obtained the
results given below.
The maximum of luminous effect is situated just at the junction of the
yellow and orange. Taking this spot as its starting-point, it gradually
decreases on each side until it ceases altogether at the extreme red and
violet.
With respect to the calorific portion of the spectrum it was for a long
time supposed that the heat-giving properties of any part were in direct
proportion to the amount of its luminous effect; but Sir John Herschel
proved by a long series of experiments that the heat of the spectrum
gradually increased from the extreme violet to the extreme red, and that
passing this point it still further increased until it attained its
maximum at a point where not a single ray of light existed. From these
grand experiments he adduced the important conclusion, that in solar
light there existed invisible rays, which produced heat, and which
possessed even a less degree of refrangibility than the extreme red
rays. Sir John Herschel then tried, but unsuccessfully, to determine the
exact refrangibility of the invisible heat rays.
Sir Henry Englefield compared these results, and obtained the following
figures:——
Blue 56 deg. Fahr.
Green 58 "
Yellow 62 "
Red 72 "
Beyond the 79 "
red
Bérard obtained similar results, but he at first found that the maximum
of heat was just at the end of the extreme red, and that beyond it the
air was only about one-fifth warmer than the ordinary temperature. Sir
John Herschel attributed these discordant results to Bérard having used
a thermometer with too large a bulb; he accordingly repeated his
experiments with other instruments with long narrow bulbs, and arrived
at similar results to those obtained by the English philosopher.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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