All Questions
Tagged with reflection absorption
58
questions
0
votes
1
answer
184
views
Complex Refractive Indices, Absorption, and Transparency
A complex refractive index is defined as $n = n_0 + \kappa$ where $n_0$ is the "standard" refractive index, and $\kappa$ is the optical extinction coefficient. The optical extinction ...
- 203
0
votes
0
answers
13
views
Why do the 'colors' of liquids in differently sized glass cylinders appear similar despite varying absorption rates?
For some liquids, such as cooking oil, I have observed that when filling two glass cylinders (with lids) of different diameters (e.g., one with a 5 cm diameter and another with a 10 cm diameter) with ...
- 382
2
votes
0
answers
57
views
Predict color of dye under a certain wavelength of light?
I am picking fluorescent dyes to be put under a UV of known wavelength and would like to be able to predict approximately what color the dyes will appear under the light. I can request ...
- 21
1
vote
2
answers
408
views
If photons are massless, how are they reflected and blocked by something that has mass? Shouldn't they pass right through any object?
If photons are massless, how do they get reflected, blocked when something comes in its way? Shouldn't the particle just pass right through any object?
- 351
2
votes
1
answer
66
views
Influence of absorption, reflectance and light source on interference in thin films
I am not a physicist, but reading up on interference in thin films.
I understood how the relation of two interfering light waves intensities $I_1$ and $I_2$ of a thin film (the first reflected at the ...
- 23
2
votes
2
answers
237
views
Why does light either get reflected, absorbed, or passes through a surface or obstacle?
For each of these 3 cases, I'm having trouble understanding...
If light is reflected, does that mean that there was not sufficient energy by the photons to excite the electrons of the surface to ...
- 195
1
vote
1
answer
362
views
How does light interact with atoms? [closed]
I've read this answer regarding the difference between mere reflection and absorption followed by emission and I am struggling to understand some concepts. To begin with, we have some matter-light ...
- 11
1
vote
3
answers
111
views
What is the explanation that the same material could receives and reflects EM wave signal while another absorbs?
Here is B-2 Spirit, a stealth bomber by Northrop Grumman. Another one is a depiction of a parabolic dish antenna receiver. As we knew, the B-2 is a stealth aircraft, which is not reflects the received ...
- 263
0
votes
1
answer
72
views
Converting light into heat/movement, reflection vs absorption
at school we had a small device in a glass dome it had 4 plates every plate was blackened on one side and silver colored on the other side. when the sun did shine on one side of it, it would start to ...
0
votes
0
answers
120
views
Why silver reflectivity decreases at around 350
This picture is from the site:https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/gold-color-relativity/
I was wondering why the reflectivitiy of silver goes to 0 at around 350 nm. I understand why for gold ...
4
votes
1
answer
812
views
Sunscreen protection, SPF, and amount applied: relationship?
In the article How SPF Changes with How Much Sunscreen You Use (last updated Dec 29, 2017), the author says that insufficient sunscreen disturbingly decreases protection exponentially, in other words, ...
- 804
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
How does reflection polarise light on the atomic level?
From my reading when light is reflected S-p polarisation occurs with the reflected light being parallel to the surface in polarisation and the mixed light being transmitted through. Light is absorbed, ...
2
votes
1
answer
452
views
What colour are metals? [duplicate]
I know that glass is actually green in that mirrors will always leave a green tint. This is because, although it's a small margin, green is the most absorbed wavelength for glass. Following on from ...
- 2,650
1
vote
1
answer
37
views
Laws for light absorbtion
When light of one particular wavelength is directed to a surface, it may get completely or partly reflected, or completely absorbed.
Is the amount of reflected light always proportional to the ...
- 323
2
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Light reflection, absorption and transmission
According to what I know, reflection, absorption, and transmission all involve the absorption of photon's energy. In the case of reflection and transmission, the absorbed energy is re-emitted in the ...
- 23