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Definition
| The angle between the incident (incoming) light ray and the normal line. |
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Definition
| The angle between the reflected (outgoing) light ray and the normal line. |
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Definition
| Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles, or the spreading of waves by passing them through an aperture, or opening. |
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Definition
| The reflection of light from an uneven or granular surface such that an incident ray is seemingly reflected at a number of angles. |
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Term
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Definition
| A concave ellipsoidal surface used to focus rays from a light source at the near focal point onto the opposite focal point of the ellipse. |
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Definition
| The distance from the optical center to the principal foci. |
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Term
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Definition
| The speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in a medium; the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in any given medium. |
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Definition
| A material through which electromagnetic waves propagate. |
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Term
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Definition
| A line drawn perpendicular (at a right angle) to the reflective surface at the point of incidence. |
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Term
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Definition
| A straight line that passes through the center of curvature on a lens and the principal focus point. |
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Term
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Definition
| The geometric center of a lens. |
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Term
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Definition
The degree of opacity of a translucent medium expressed by log Io/I,
where Io is the intensity of the incident ray and I is the intensity of the transmitted ray. |
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Term
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Definition
A reflective surface generated by rotating a parabolic section around
its axis. A light source placed at the focal point of the reflector will create a
reflected beam of concentrated collimated light parallel to the axis of the reflector. |
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Term
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Definition
| The spot where an incident ray strikes the surface of a mirror or lens. |
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Term
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Definition
A point where distant parallel light rays converge after passing through a
lens (Focus point). |
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Term
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Definition
The phenomenon of a propagating wave (light or sound) being thrown back
from a surface. |
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Term
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Definition
The bending of light waves or rays as they go from one material to another
due to the differences in velocities in the material. |
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Term
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Definition
| Reflection from a colored surface so only certain wavelengths of light are reflected. |
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Term
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Definition
| A reflector shaped like a portion of a sphere so that light from a point source at the center point of the sphere will be reflected back through the center point of the sphere. |
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Term
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Definition
| Light is reflected from a highly polished surface producing a consistent angle. |
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Term
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Definition
| Light is reflected into a cone of light rays from a surface. |
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