Laser pointers are more common in life and are often used for teaching demonstrations, and even children use it as toys. However, a recent online post claimed that laser pointer can "click" matches. Some netizens said that only hearing the laser pointer may hurt the eyes, but the second ignition seems a bit too much. Whether it works or not, the experiment will tell you.
News reporters searched on an online shopping platform and found that the laser pointer can emit light in three colors: red, green, and blue, depending on the wavelength. Many sellers claimed in the product introduction that the light emitted by the laser pointer can "ignite firecrackers", "ignite firecrackers", and even "light cigarettes". The reporter bought a laser pointer with a power of 100 milliwatts and a box of ordinary matches.
The experimental method is not complicated, and the match is fixed on the table with a dovetail clip. Press the bright laser pointer and aim the laser at the match. Surprising things happened, from when the reporter pointed the laser pointer at the match to when the match was ignited, the whole process took just over a second. According to this method, the reporter repeated experiments, and the result was that the match was successfully lit every time and the "second" point was achieved every time. After the experiment, the strong light from the laser irradiated on the match head has caused some discomfort in the reporter's eyes.
Experiments have proved that the "laser pointer fires a fire in a second" on the Internet is true. According to the reporter's understanding, the match head is mainly composed of chemical substances such as red phosphorus and potassium chlorate. It is ignited by the high temperature generated by friction, and its ignition point is around 250°C. It shows that a small green laser pointer can generate a huge amount of energy, so use caution.
In addition, the harm of laser pointers to human parts such as eyes needs to be emphasized again. External objects or light are imaged on the retina through the eye, and the macular area in the center of the retina is the first to'contact' the light. It is the most sensitive and vulnerable area on the retina. The strong light of the laser pointer can easily lead to edema and hemorrhage in the macular area, and cause rupture of the retinal photoreceptor cell structure, resulting in a significant decrease in vision, and the damage will be permanent, and most vision cannot be fully restored. Parents are reminded to try not to use laser pointers as toys for children to play with; if laser pointers are used, they should avoid laser irradiating human eyes, skin and clothing.