A report on Light and Reflection (physics)

A triangular prism dispersing a beam of white light. The longer wavelengths (red) and the shorter wavelengths (blue) are separated.

The reflection of Mount Hood in Mirror Lake.

The electromagnetic spectrum, with the visible portion highlighted

$Refraction of light at the interface between two media.$

Beam of sun light inside the cavity of Rocca ill'Abissu at Fondachelli-Fantina, Sicily

$Due to refraction, the straw dipped in water appears bent and the ruler scale compressed when viewed from a shallow angle.$

General scattering mechanism which gives diffuse reflection by a solid surface

Hong Kong illuminated by colourful artificial lighting.

Multiple reflections in two plane mirrors at a 60° angle.

Sound diffusion panel for high frequencies

$Thomas Young's sketch of a double-slit experiment showing diffraction. Young's experiments supported the theory that light consists of waves.$

Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves.

- Reflection (physics)

Newton's theory could be used to predict the reflection of light, but could only explain refraction by incorrectly assuming that light accelerated upon entering a denser medium because the gravitational pull was greater.

- Light

2 related topics with Alpha

$A ray of light being refracted in a plastic block$

Refractive index

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$A ray of light being refracted in a plastic block$

$Refraction of a light ray$

$Thomas Young coined the term index of refraction.$

$Diamonds have a very high refractive index of 2.417.$

$A split-ring resonator array arranged to produce a negative index of refraction for microwaves$

$In optical mineralogy, thin sections are used to study rocks. The method is based on the distinct refractive indices of different minerals.$

$Light of different colors has slightly different refractive indices in water and therefore shows up at different positions in the rainbow.$

$In a prism, dispersion causes different colors to refract at different angles, splitting white light into a rainbow of colors.$

$The variation of refractive index with wavelength for various glasses. The shaded zone indicates the range of visible light.$

The colors of a soap bubble are determined by the optical path length through the thin soap film in a phenomenon called thin-film interference.

$Refraction of light at the interface between two media of different refractive indices, with n2 > n1. Since the phase velocity is lower in the second medium (v2 < v1), the angle of refraction θ2 is less than the angle of incidence θ1; that is, the ray in the higher-index medium is closer to the normal.$

Total internal reflection can be seen at the air-water boundary.

$The power of a magnifying glass is determined by the shape and refractive index of the lens.$

$The relation between the refractive index and the density of silicate and borosilicate glasses$

$A calcite crystal laid upon a paper with some letters showing double refraction$

Birefringent materials can give rise to colors when placed between crossed polarizers. This is the basis for photoelasticity.

$A gradient-index lens with a parabolic variation of refractive index (n) with radial distance (x). The lens focuses light in the same way as a conventional lens.$

$The principle of many refractometers$

$A handheld refractometer used to measure the sugar content of fruits$

A differential interference contrast microscopy image of yeast cells

In optics, the refractive index ( refraction index) of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium.

Apart from the transmitted light there is also a reflected part.

Normal (geometry)

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Object such as a line, ray, or vector that is perpendicular to a given object.

A normal to a surface at a point is the same as a normal to the tangent plane to the surface at the same point.

A curved surface showing the unit normal vectors (blue arrows) to the surface

The normal is often used in 3D computer graphics (notice the singular, as only one normal will be defined) to determine a surface's orientation toward a light source for flat shading, or the orientation of each of the surface's corners (vertices) to mimic a curved surface with Phong shading.

In reflection of light, the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection are respectively the angle between the normal and the incident ray (on the plane of incidence) and the angle between the normal and the reflected ray.