Pigments don’t survive fossilization; even though we have fossil skin from dinosaurs, we don’t know what color they were. But fossilization does preserve structure. Specimens from a rare cache of 50-million-year-old beetle fossils still show the microscopic layers that produced structural colors in the living creatures, and we can deduce the colors from an understanding of thin-film interference. One fossil showed 80 nm platesof fossilized chitin (modern samples have index of refraction n = 1.56) embedded in fossilized tissue (for which we can assume n = 1.33). What is the longest wavelength for which there is constructive interference for reflections from opposite sides of the chitin layers? If this wavelength is enhanced by reflection, what color was the beetle?

Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
5th Edition
ISBN:9781133104261
Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Chapter27: Wave Optics
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 49P
icon
Related questions
Question

Pigments don’t survive fossilization; even though we have fossil skin from dinosaurs, we don’t know what color they were. But fossilization does preserve structure. Specimens from a rare cache of 50-million-year-old beetle fossils still show the microscopic layers that produced structural colors in the living creatures, and we can deduce the colors from an understanding of thin-film interference. One fossil showed 80 nm plates
of fossilized chitin (modern samples have index of refraction n = 1.56) embedded in fossilized tissue (for which we can assume n = 1.33). What is the longest wavelength for which there is constructive interference for reflections from opposite sides of the chitin layers? If this wavelength is enhanced by reflection, what color was the beetle?

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 4 steps with 4 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Compton effect
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
Physics
ISBN:
9781133104261
Author:
Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Technology …
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Technology …
Physics
ISBN:
9781305116399
Author:
Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Physics
College Physics
Physics
ISBN:
9781285737027
Author:
Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Physics
College Physics
Physics
ISBN:
9781305952300
Author:
Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
University Physics Volume 3
University Physics Volume 3
Physics
ISBN:
9781938168185
Author:
William Moebs, Jeff Sanny
Publisher:
OpenStax
College Physics
College Physics
Physics
ISBN:
9781938168000
Author:
Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs
Publisher:
OpenStax College