PHYS 123 Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Ray Optics
Document Summary
A ray is a line which shows the direction that light travels. A beam of light with a small cross-sectional area is a ray. The source of light can be considered to be a point source. When light travels through a material it is called transmitted light and such materials are called transparent. Translucent materials cause the light to be redirected in different directions. Absorbed light enters a material and never exits. The energy from the light is converted to other forms of energy. Reflected light is when it is redirected from the surface. Smooth surface bounce the light specularly, which means the angle of incidence remains the same for all rays. Angle of incidence is the angle between the normal and incident ray. Angle of reflection is the angle between the normal and the reflected ray. Law of reflection: when a ray hits a smooth surface the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
