Optics and Light

106 flashcards by MentisLibrary

Reflection, refraction and Snell's law, lenses and mirrors, interference and diffraction, polarization, the eye and optical instruments, photometry, lasers and nonlinear optics, covering both formulas and concepts. For introductory college and AP physics students.

What is the speed of light in vacuum?: c = 299792458 m/s
What is the relationship between wavelength frequency and speed?: c = λf
What is the visible light wavelength range?: Approximately 380-700 nm
What is the energy of a photon?: E = hf = hc/λ
What is the index of refraction?: n = c/v
What is Snell's Law?: n₁ sin(θ₁) = n₂ sin(θ₂)
What is the law of reflection?: θi = θr
What is total internal reflection?: Light reflects completely at boundary when θ > θc
What is the critical angle?: sin(θc) = n₂/n₁
What is dispersion?: Variation of refractive index with wavelength
What is the thin lens equation?: 1/f = 1/do + 1/di
What is the lens maker's equation?: 1/f = (n-1)(1/R₁ - 1/R₂)
What is magnification?: m = -di/do = hi/ho
What is the focal length?: Distance from lens to focal point
What is lens power?: P = 1/f
What is the mirror equation?: 1/f = 1/do + 1/di
What is the focal length of spherical mirror?: f = R/2
What is Rayleigh criterion for resolution?: θmin = 1.22λ/D
What is diffraction?: Bending of light around obstacles
What is the single-slit diffraction minima?: a sin(θ) = mλ
What is the double-slit interference maxima?: d sin(θ) = mλ
What is the double-slit interference minima?: d sin(θ) = (m + 1/2)λ
What is the diffraction grating equation?: d sin(θ) = mλ
What is Bragg's Law?: 2d sin(θ) = mλ
What is polarization?: Orientation of electric field oscillation
What is Malus's Law?: I = I₀ cos²(θ)
What is Brewster's angle?: tan(θB) = n₂/n₁
What is the photon momentum?: p = h/λ = E/c
What is radiation pressure?: P = I/c
What is the Doppler effect for light?: f' = f√((1±β)/(1∓β))