Ultraviolet light consists of a type of electromagnetic radiation, whose wavelength is shorter than that of visible light. Light is generally made up of a variety of spectra, the most common of which is the one that the human eye can see. However, there are also other higher and lower frequencies, such as ultraviolet light.
In this article we will show you in simple steps how to make the blacklight at home using an LED flashlight or an LED gooseneck and other very easy-to-find elements.
Materials needed to make black light
What we will need to assemble our ultraviolet light are very basic things:
As a light source we will use a flashlight or an LED gooseneck with 100 W of power. It must be LED to avoid burning the plastic frame.
For the external structure we will use a blue plastic bottle with dimensions proportional to the flashlight or the LED gooseneck.
As a filter, we will use folders, leaf dividers or other sheets that are made of transparent blue plastic.
To hold we will need black insulating tape.
Step by step to make your UV light at home
Symmetrically cut the bottle in half.
Make vertical cuts to fit it better in the lamp.
Next, we must cut (according to the diameter of the bottle) several layers of the filters that we select.
Next, it is necessary to insert the filters inside the bottle
Subsequently, we must place everything that we have assembled in a flashlight or LED flexo and fix it with black insulating tape.
With this simple procedure we can now have our homemade ultraviolet light lamp.
Curiosities and uses of black light
In 1801 the scientist Johann Wilhelm Ritter became known for his discovery of ultraviolet light. He conducted his experiments with the purpose of determining whether invisible light existed beyond the violet end of the spectrum. Ritter was able to verify this and called this type of light “Chemical Rays”, but later it began to be called ultraviolet light or ultraviolet radiation.
Currently, this light has several interesting uses. Some of these uses are recreational, for example, in fluorescent parties where it is used to make white colors stand out.
It also gives UV luminous paints and fluorine colors an intense and captivating shine. For this reason, some visual artists adapt it to give a modern and innovative finish to their works.
In addition, it has important applications in medicine where it stands out for being used in:
- Treatment of seasonal depression.
- Elimination of viruses and bacteria in environments.
- Therapy for jaundice in babies.
- Irradiation of blood for transfusions.
- Treatment for psoriasis and other skin conditions.
There are other uses, such as forensic science for processing fingerprints, blood, and other bodily fluids. It is also manipulated for other tasks such as drinking water treatment and even simpler applications such as counterfeit detection.
In short, we are facing a type of light that provides many uses for daily life.