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.
Index of
Medium
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
rainbow
s
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: Young’s Double-Slit Experiment
• Conducted by Thomas Young in the early 1800’s
• Provided an experimental basis for considering light as
a wave.
 Key Points of Young’s Experiment

• The individual slits acted as individual sources

which light passes through and spreads.
(Isn’t 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 1900’s
• 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.