Color of Light

Front

Refraction Noun

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[ri-frak-shun]

Back

Refraction

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The bending of a wave, such as light, as it passes at an angle from one medium into another.

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Example: Light bends when it moves from air into water, shown by the pencil appearing bent.

Front

Wavelength Noun

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[weiv-length]

Back

Wavelength

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The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs of a wave, determining properties like the color of light.

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Example: The image shows the distance between two crests of a wave, labeled as 'wavelength'.

Front

Frequency Noun

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[free-kwen-see]

Back

Frequency

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The number of complete waves that pass a specific point in a given amount of time, related to energy.

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Example: A wave with low frequency shows fewer waves passing a point over time, illustrating frequency.

Front

Visible Spectrum Noun

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[viz-uh-bull spek-trum]

Back

Visible Spectrum

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The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye, seen as the colors of the rainbow.

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Example: The image shows the visible spectrum with colors from violet to red, each labeled with its wavelength.

Front

Prism Noun

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[priz-um]

Back

Prism

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A transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refracts light, separating it into its constituent colors.

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Example: A prism bends sunlight to create a rainbow of colors, showing how light is made of different colors.

Front

Index of Refraction Noun

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[in-deks ov ri-frak-shun]

Back

Index of Refraction

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A dimensionless number that describes how fast light travels through a material, indicating how much it will bend.

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Example: Light bends when it passes from air into water, showing refraction.

Front

Absorption Noun

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[ab-sorp-shun]

Back

Absorption

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The process in which light energy is taken in by matter and converted into another form of energy.

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Example: White light hits a green leaf, and the leaf absorbs all colors except green, which is reflected.

Front

Reflection Noun

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[ri-flek-shun]

Back

Reflection

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The bouncing back of a wave, like light or sound, when it strikes a surface it cannot pass through.

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Example: A light ray hits a mirror and bounces back, showing reflection with labeled angles.

Front

Transmission Noun

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[trans-mish-un]

Back

Transmission

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The process by which a wave, such as light, passes through a medium or substance without being absorbed.

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Example: A prism shows how light passes through and disperses into colors, illustrating transmission.

Front

Retina Noun

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[ret-in-uh]

Back

Retina

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The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into neural signals for the brain.

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Example: The image shows rods and cones in the retina, which detect light and color.