Final answer:
Photography development labs use red light because it has the lowest frequencies and longest wavelengths, contributing to lower energy that won't expose photosensitive materials. Blue and violet lights have higher frequencies and energy, which can damage these materials. Thus, red light minimizes this risk during the development process. The correct option is d) Red light has a longer wavelength, reducing its impact on photosensitive materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
Photography development laboratories use red lighting to allow workers to see without damaging the developing photographs. The reason why red light is used instead of blue or violet light is because of the different characteristics within the visible light spectrum relating to photon energies. Red light, being at one end of the spectrum, has the lowest frequencies and longest wavelengths, which results in having lower energy. In contrast, blue and violet lights have higher frequencies, shorter wavelengths, and consequently more energy that can cause damage to photosensitive materials.
When it comes to developing photographs, particularly black-and-white film, it's essential that the lighting does not trigger the photochemical reaction that develops the film. Red light's photon energy is insufficient to expose most black-and-white films. Moreover, the higher energy photons of violet light can break up weakly bound molecules, such as those found in complex dyes within the film, leading to quicker degradation. Therefore, red light is less likely to cause such damage, making it the ideal choice for a darkroom environment. Examining the options provided, we can conclude that Red light has a longer wavelength, reducing its impact on photosensitive materials is the correct reason for the use of red lighting in photography development laboratories. The mention of 'longer wavelength' directly relates to red light having lower energy and thus reducing its potential to affect the development process of photographic materials.