Light and Optics

light and optics

the true nature of ligt and the principle of ray optic

isaac newton

“light is made up of colors”

christian huygens

“light is a wave”

thomas young

“proof of wave theory of light”

james clerk maxwell

predicted existence of emagnetic waves

isaac newton

“light is a photon'“

geometric optics

study of propagation of light

wavefront

locus of all adjacent points

rays

direction in which light propagates

specular

reflection on a smooth surface

diffuse

reflection of light in a rough surfsce

law of reflection

his law states when a light ray hjts a smooth surfscr, angle of reflection equals angle of incidence

retroreflection

when the reflected ljght beam refurns tk the sourcd parallel to its path

refraction

the bending of light aa it passes from one medium to another

huygens principle

states that all points on a given wave front are taken as point sources

Dispersion

he IOR of a material varies depending on the wavelength of light passing through a material

total internal reflection

happens when angle of incidence is greater rhan criticial angle

polarization

determined by the direction of the electric field vector of a wave

scattering

light coming from the sun is absorbed and reradiated in a variety of directions

brewsters law

states that reflected light is polarized perpendicular to the plane