Photonics Review

transparent

a material that lets most or all light pass through it

translucent

a material that lets only some (a Little) light waves pass through

opaque

a material that lets no light waves pass through it

concave

a lens that curves inward (caves in) and spreads light apart

convex

a lens that bulges outward and brings light together (makes an x)

refraction

a BENDING of waves as they travel through different media, causing the image to look different

reflection

the change in the direction of light waves after they BOUNCE off a surface

amplitude

the height of a wave, affects the volume/loudness of a sound

frequency

the number of waves per second (how often the waves come), affects the pitch of a sound

decibels

units for the amplitude (loudness) of a sound

violet

the color from the spectrum that has the most energy (highest frequency)

red

the color from the spectrum that has the least energy (longest wavelength)

hertz

units of frequency/pitch ("the high frequency _______ my ears")

wavelength

distance from a spot on one wave to the same spot on the next

dispersion

the separation of white light into ROYGBIV

electromagnetic waves

don't need a medium and can travel through space

mechanical waves

need a medium and therefore can't travel through space

crest

top of a wave

trough

bottom of a wave

digital signals

transmits information sent by pulses of 0's and 1's

analog signals

continuous waves that transmit information by altering the amplitude and frequency of the waves

high resolution

clearer, more detailed image due to more pixels

low resolution

pixelated, less detailed image due to less pixels

photons

particles of light (like little packets of energy)