Light Vocabulary

Scattered Light

light that has passed through an imperfect
medium causing the rays to change from their straight path;
light in all directions

Opaque

any material that DOES NOT allow light to pass
through

Translucent

materials that allow light rays to pass through
but mix up them up so we cannot see clearly (example:
frosted glass)

Transparent

materials that let all light rays pass through
clearly

Prism

a piece of glass (or acrylic) with many sides that are
cut a certain angles to bend light rays

Transmitted Light

light that passes through matter without
being absorbed or scattered

Refracted Light

process where light slows down and bends as
it travels from one medium to another; known as "bent light

Law of Reflection

light will always be reflected by a surface
at the same angle as which it hits the surface (angle of
incidence = angle of reflection)

Reflected Light

light that bounces off shiny or metal surfaces;
the light that bounces off and into our eyes are the color(s)
we see

Diffused Light

soft light that is neither as intense or
glaring as direct light

Absorbed Light

light energy that is taken in by matter
and converted to thermal or heat energy; colors that we do
not see

Photons

the smallest possible particles of
electromagnetic radiation which travel in transverse waves

Visible Light

the region of the EM spectrum which our
eyes can detect; ROY G BIV; travels in transverse waves

Light Rays

the straight path that light travels

Scattered Light

light that has passed through an imperfect
medium causing the rays to change from their straight path;
light in all directions

Opaque

any material that DOES NOT allow light to pass
through

Translucent

materials that allow light rays to pass through
but mix up them up so we cannot see clearly (example:
frosted glass)

Transparent

materials that let all light rays pass through
clearly

Prism

a piece of glass (or acrylic) with many sides that are
cut a certain angles to bend light rays

Transmitted Light

light that passes through matter without
being absorbed or scattered

Refracted Light

process where light slows down and bends as
it travels from one medium to another; known as "bent light

Law of Reflection

light will always be reflected by a surface
at the same angle as which it hits the surface (angle of
incidence = angle of reflection)

Reflected Light

light that bounces off shiny or metal surfaces;
the light that bounces off and into our eyes are the color(s)
we see

Diffused Light

soft light that is neither as intense or
glaring as direct light

Absorbed Light

light energy that is taken in by matter
and converted to thermal or heat energy; colors that we do
not see

Photons

the smallest possible particles of
electromagnetic radiation which travel in transverse waves

Visible Light

the region of the EM spectrum which our
eyes can detect; ROY G BIV; travels in transverse waves

Light Rays

the straight path that light travels