Light Vocabulary

Terms in this set (19)

ray
the movement of light in a straight path
absorption
the disappearance of a light wave into a surface
transmission
when light is able to pass through an object
wave
the way light travels
visible spectrum
the wavelengths represented by the colors ROY G BIV
transparent
if the ray passes easily through an object
translucent
if some rays pass through an object
opaque
if no rays can pass through an object
reflected
when light bounces off an object
refracted
when light bends as it passes through an object
prism
an optical tool that refracts visible light into the color spectrum
red
the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum
violet
the shortest wavelength in the visible spectrum
light
a form of energy that travels faster than sound
concave
a mirror or lens that curves inward
convex
a mirror or lens that curves outward
diffraction
the bending and spreading of light waves around an obstacle
shadow
a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface because of intercepted light
Isaac Newton
the first person to observe how a prism separates white light into the color spectrum
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