All Questions
192
questions
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votes
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45
views
What is a convex-concave lens?
I came across this term while studying for optics, and I'm unsure as to what this means. My thinking is that it might be a meniscus lens, but the text separately give two different models for each ...
- 187
0
votes
0
answers
31
views
Property of total internal reflection question
If I create a medium with gradually decreasing refractive index from once face at index 2.0 and other at 1.01, and show a beam of light upon the optically denser side, will there be any losses upon ...
- 21
0
votes
2
answers
75
views
Is there a way to calculate the angle between the refracted and reflected rays given the refractive index?
Is there a way to calculate the refracted and reflected rays? I know we use Snell's law to calculate the refracted rays, but is there a formula to calculate the angle of the reflected rays, or does it ...
- 187
2
votes
0
answers
35
views
Apparent position of object in bowl of water
Say you have a bowl of water and you keep an object in it. What would the apparent position of an object inside the bowl from the position of an outside observer? Will the curvature of the spherical ...
- 187
1
vote
1
answer
89
views
Why do highlights occur on edges? [closed]
When looking at an object, the highlights are usually on the corners and edges. Highlights can occur anywhere on an object, but it seems like the brightest parts are where it is the most sharp.
- 21
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votes
0
answers
29
views
Minimum Radius of Curvature an Optical Fiber can be bent
Using the thickness and refractive index of an optical fiber, is it possible to know the maximum radius of curvature it can be bent before there are losses due to refraction?
In my research, I came ...
- 187
1
vote
1
answer
94
views
When light passes from one medium to another. Depending on the density, it would experience a change in velocity. Why would its vector change as well?
For example, when light passes through water its velocity decreases and refraction occurs. Why? Why is there a change in direction. If I slow down a car I don’t suddenly turn left.
0
votes
1
answer
51
views
What causes light to scatter in a medium?
My understanding is that all mediums have a complex iindex of refraction where the real component is the "standard" index of refraction, and the imaginary component is the extinction ...
- 203
1
vote
0
answers
31
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Fresnel Equations and an Opaque Surface?
I'm trying to make sense of what actually happens to light when it interacts with an opaque surface.
The fresnel equations give us the proportion of light which is reflected off the surface of a ...
- 203
0
votes
1
answer
74
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Let's say I have manufactured a prism from a non-dispersive medium, then light coming from air wouldn't split into colours right?
Let's say I have manufactured a prism from a non-dispersive medium, then light coming from air incident on the prism wouldn't split into colours, right? I mean light still changes direction, but all ...
- 959
2
votes
1
answer
119
views
What is the speed of light in case of Critical Angle?
When light travels from an optically denser to a rarer medium, it bends away from the normal and at a specific angle of incidence, the angle of refraction is ${90}^{\circ}$. When the angle of ...
0
votes
0
answers
60
views
Schlick's approximation for reflectance when $n_1 = n_2$
another raytracer here.
I'm using Schlick's approximation to the Fresnel equations, which is said to be reasonably faithful.
I'm a little puzzled about the situation where the incident ray is just ...
- 101
8
votes
1
answer
504
views
Skylight reflection shows birefringence patterns
I noticed that the skylight where I work looked white to me, but its reflection from the tiles below showed a colorful pattern. See the images below, and also a video that shows this effect from ...
- 12.5k
3
votes
1
answer
62
views
Can a system of lenses or compound lens have a higher numerical aperture than a single element in the system?
I am attempting to create a simple Abbe condenser for a microscope, which typically consists of two converging lenses.
Ideally, I would like to achieve a numerical aperture for the condenser of ...
- 33
0
votes
0
answers
45
views
Does Color change happen under a prism? [duplicate]
I was watching this video.
It Showed that light ( green ) changes its color to red after incidence of light. I couldn't think of how this happens because light's color is dependent on frequency rather ...
- 441