Light Rays and Laws Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is the law of reflection
The angle of incidence = angle of reflection
Explain the term ‘absorption of light’
When light is converted to another form of energy as it enters another medium
What can happen to light as it passes from one medium to another
It can be transmitted, absorbed or reflected
Define the words opaque, translucent and transparent
Opaque - no transmission of light, translucent - a scattering of light through a medium, transparent - transmission with no scattering or blockage
Explain the term refraction on a ray of light
The bending of the ray and the change of velocity of light as it changes from one medium to another.
What is the ‘normal line’ in reflection
The normal is an imaginary line perpendicular (90o) to the surface.
What is the incident ray
The incident ray is the light ray travelling toward the surface.
What is the reflected ray
The reflected ray is the light ray travelling away from the surface.’
What is the refracted ray
The refracted ray is the light ray that is bent as it travels from one medium to another
What is the dispersion of light
When a ray of light splits into its constituent colours when it is passed through a transparent medium is known as dispersion
What happens when white light is dispersed
The spectrum is a band of colours obtained due to the dispersion of white light
What is total internal refraction
Beyond the critical angle, when all the light waves reflect back into the glass.
How it total internal refraction used in communication technologies
In optical fibres (thin rod of high-quality glass) send light from one end to the other. Used in endoscopes for surgeons to see inside their patients. Carry enormous amounts of information as pulses of light.
