Optics
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Optics
Optics (/ˈɒptɪks/) is a branch of Physics that studies the behavior and properties of Light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.
Etymology
The term "Optics" comes from the Greek word "optikos," meaning "of sight" or "related to seeing."
Related Terms
- Geometrical Optics: This branch of optics deals with light as a collection of rays that travel in straight lines and bend when they pass through or reflect from surfaces.
- Physical Optics: This branch of optics deals with the wave properties of light.
- Quantum Optics: This branch of optics deals with the application of quantum mechanics to the study of light.
- Lens (Optics): A lens is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction.
- Prism (Optics): A prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light.
- Refraction: Refraction is the change in direction of a wave passing from one medium to another caused by its change in speed.
- Reflection (Physics): Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Optics
- Wikipedia's article - Optics
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