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Optics is a branch of physics that describes the behavior and properties of light and the interaction of light with matter. Optics explains and is illuminated by optical phenomena.
The field of optics usually describes the behavior of visible, infrared and ultraviolet light; however since light is an electromagnetic wave, analogous phenomena occur in X-rays, microwaves, radio waves, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Optics can thus be regarded as a sub-field of electromagnetism. Some optical phenomena depend on the quantum nature of light and as such some areas of optics are also related to quantum mechanicswavefunctions of an electron in a hydrogen atom possessing definite energy (increasing downward: n 1,2,3,. and angular momentum (increasing across: s p d . Brighter areas correspond to higher probability density for a position measurement. The angular mom.
Optics, however, as a field is often considered largely separate from the physics community. It has its own identity, societies, and conferences. The pure science aspects of the field are often called Optical Science or Optical Physics. Applied optical sciences are often called optical engineering. Applications of optical enginering related specifically to illumination systems is called illumination engineering. Each of these disciplines tends to be quite different in its applications, technical skills, focus, and professional affiliations.
Because of the wide application of the science of "light" to real-world applications, the area of optical science, and optical engineering tends to be very cross-disiplinary. You will find optical science a part of many related disciplines including electrical engineering, physics, psychology, medicine, and others.
Classical or geometric optics, sometimes called ray optics is the branch of optics that describes light propagationThe word propagation can mean: Multiplication or increase, as by natural reproduction. In genetics, propagation is another term for the elongation part of transcription. In agriculture and horticulture, propagation is the production of increased numbers o in terms of rays. Rays are bent at the interfaceIn general usage, an interface is the point, area, or surface along which two substances or other qualitatively different things meet; it is also used metaphorically for the juncture between items. The word interface is sometimes (perhaps only in engineer between two dissimilar media, and may be curved in a mediumThe word medium has a number of uses: The most common meaning of the word medium is an average or mean in a range of sizes or conditions. Usually, the term is used when there are only a few different sizes in the range, rather than many. For example, item in which the refractive indexThe refractive index of a material is the factor by which electromagnetic radiation is slowed down (relative to vacuum) when it travels inside the material. For a non-magnetic material, the square of the refractive index is the material's dielectric const is a function of position. The rayRay has several meanings. For the concept in geometry, see Ray (geometry) For the fish, see Ray (fish) For the 2004 movie biography of legendary musician Ray Charles, see Ray (movie) For the city in Iran, see Ray, Iran For the small settlement in North Da in geometric optics is perpendicular to the wavefront in physical optics .