Properties of

Light

Properties of Light

Effects of Materials on Light

Reflection
Refraction
Dispersion
Total Internal Reflection
Interference
Diffraction
Scattering of Light
Polarization

Effects of Materials on Light

Materials can be classified based on
how it responds to light incident on
them:
1. Opaque materials absorb light;
do not let light to pass through
2. Transparent materials allow
light to easily pass through them
3. Translucent materials allow
light to pass through but distorts
the light during the passage

Reflection
Light follows the Law of Reflection:
The angle of incidence is equal to the
angle of reflection.
Light can bounce off materials in two
ways:
1. Diffuse reflection reflected rays
go in different directions; happens in
rough-textured or uneven surfaces
2. Regular/Specular reflection
reflected rays go in one directions;
happens in smooth and shiny
surfaces; image can be seen

Refraction
Light bends/refracts when it changes
speed.
This usually happens when the light
travels from one medium to the next.
Simple rule of thumb in refraction:
If light slows down, it will refract
towards the normal line.
If light speeds up, it will refract
away from the normal line.

Refraction
Light travels faster in air, slow in
water and slower still in glass.
The slower light is in a medium, the
more it refracts/bends in it.
The measure of how much light
refracts in a medium is called index
of refraction.
Medium

Index of
Refraction
(n)

air

1.000293

water

1.3330

glass

1.490

diamond

2.419

Refraction
Light follows the Law of Reflection:
The angle of incidence is equal to the
angle of reflection.
Light can bounce off materials in two
ways:
1. Diffuse reflection reflected rays
go in different directions; happens in
rough-textured or uneven surfaces
2. Regular/Specular
reflection

reflected rays go in one directions;

happens in smooth and shiny
surfaces; image can be seen

Refraction
Light follows the Law of Reflection:
The angle of incidence is equal to the
angle of reflection.
Light can bounce off materials in two
ways:
1. Diffuse reflection reflected rays
go in different directions; happens in
rough-textured or uneven surfaces
2. Regular/Specular
reflection

reflected rays go in one directions;

happens in smooth and shiny
surfaces; image can be seen

Dispersion
The process in
which
light
is
separated into its
colors due to the
differences
in
degrees
of
refraction.

How
are
rainbo
ws
formed

Total Internal Reflection

When light is
reflected
completely at the
boundary
between two
mediums

How do
fiber
optics
work?

Why do
diamonds

Diffraction
Light spreads out after passing
through/by an opening /edge.
The opening must be very narrow
for diffraction of light to occur.

Every cloud
has a silver
lining.

Interference
Light can superimpose and have
either constructive interference
or destructive interference.

Reflection
Reflection - Light bounces off the
surfaces like mirrors such that the angle
of incidence is equal to the angle of
reflection.
Refraction - Refraction is defined as
the bending of light as it passes through
materials of different optical density
Interference - When two light waves
meet or coincide, it can create either
constructive or destructive interference
based on how the crests & troughs of
the waves meet.

Wave Properties (Light)

Diffraction - This is defined
as the bending of light waves
around obstacles in its path.
Example, when a light wave
passes through a barrier with
a small opening, it acts as a
single point source from
where light emerges and
spreads in all direction.

So, is light a wave or a

particle?
Light has a dual nature.
Depending on the phenomenon or
behavior in question, light can be
treated either as a wave or as a
particle.
To examine this wave-particle
duality, we will examine two
experimental proofs.

Light is a WAVE: Youngs Double-Slit

Experiment
Conducted by Thomas Young in the early
1800s
Provided an experimental basis for
considering light as a wave.

Key Points of Youngs

Experiment
The individual slits acted as
individual sources which light passes
through and spreads. (Isnt this like
water waves?)
Light exhibits interference which is a
wave property.

Light is a PARTICLE: The Photoelectric

Effect
Explained by
Einstein during the
early 1900s
Provided an
experimental
basis for
considering light
as a particle.
Einstein earned a
Nobel Prize for his
explanation.

Key Points of Photoelectric

effect

Higher energy light knocks off electrons at

higher energy.
The number of ejected electrons is directly
related to the intensity (brightness) of
light. This means brighter lights emit more
photons.
Light is a particle since it is capable of
knocking off electrons. Further, unlike
waves, increasing the brightness does not
increase the energy of the knocked off
electrons.