Physics Optics Flashcards
(61 cards)
What is optics?
Optics is a branch of physics which deals with the study of light.
Optics includes the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter.
What is light?
Light is a form of energy which causes the sensation of sight.
Light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
What is an optical medium?
The substance through which light can pass more or less is known as optical medium.
There are three different types of optical media.
List the three types of optical media.
- Transparent medium
- Translucent medium
- Opaque medium
Each type has different properties regarding light transmission.
Define transparent medium.
It is the medium through which light can pass very easily.
Here the light is not absorbed or very little absorbed.
Give examples of transparent media.
- Air
- Thin glass
- Clear water of shallow depth
These materials allow light to pass through with minimal obstruction.
Define translucent medium.
It is the medium through which light can pass partially but things cannot be clearly seen.
Here the light is absorbed to a great extent.
Give examples of translucent media.
- Ground glass
- Tracing paper
These materials allow some light to pass but blur the view.
Define opaque medium.
It is the medium through which light cannot pass.
Opaque materials do not allow any light to transmit through them.
What is a ray of light?
Path along which light energy travels.
Rays are used to represent the direction of light.
What is a beam of light?
Rays very near to each other and taken together constitute a beam of light.
Beams can vary in their configuration.
List the three types of beams of light.
- Parallel beam of light
- Convergent beam of light
- Divergent beam of light
Each type describes a different arrangement of light rays.
Define parallel beam of light.
The rays which are parallel to each other.
This type of beam maintains a constant distance between rays.
Define convergent beam of light.
The light rays proceed to a point from different directions.
This type of beam focuses light toward a single point.
What is a divergent beam of light?
A beam where light rays spread out from a point.
Divergent beams create a wider angle as they move away from the source.
What is a divergent beam of light?
The light rays spread in different directions from a point.
Divergent beams are typically observed in various optical phenomena.
List some important properties of light.
- Diffraction
- Refraction
- Reflection
- Photoelectric effect
- Polarization
- Interference
These properties are fundamental in the study of optics.
What does rectilinear propagation of light mean?
Light travels in straight lines unless it is reflected or the medium changes.
This principle is essential for understanding how light behaves in different environments.
Define reflection of light.
Light comes back into the same medium from a boundary separating two media.
Reflection is a key concept in optics, affecting how we see objects.
What is Newton’s Corpuscular theory?
Light is a combination of mass particles called corpuscles.
This theory was one of the earliest attempts to explain the nature of light.
Describe Huygen’s wave theory.
Light propagates as mechanical longitudinal waves.
This theory contributed significantly to the understanding of wave phenomena in light.
What does Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory state?
Light propagates as an electromagnetic wave.
This theory unified electricity, magnetism, and optics.
What is Planck’s Quantum theory?
Electromagnetic radiations are emitted or absorbed by matter in small discrete energy packets called quanta.
This theory introduced the concept of quantization in physics.
Explain Einstein’s quantum theory.
Electromagnetic radiations are emitted or absorbed in small discrete energy packets and propagate as photons.
This theory further developed the quantum concept introduced by Planck.
