Optics Vocabulary

noun The opening in a camera lens through which light passes to enter the camera

• The camera's aperture controls the amount of light that enters the lens.
• Make sure to adjust the aperture on your camera for a better picture.
• I totally forgot to change the aperture settings on my camera.
• Opening up your mind is like adjusting the aperture of a camera, allowing more light and new perspectives to come in.

noun a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'concavity' is a noun referring to the quality of being concave or having a surface that curves inward.

• The concavity of the parabola can be determined by looking at the sign of the coefficient of the x^2 term.
• The concavity of this graph makes it look like a smiley face.
• The concavity of the road ahead is no joke, so drive carefully.
• Her concavity towards authority figures was evident in the way she always followed the rules.

noun the quality or state of being convex; a curved shape that bulges outward

adjective convex

• The convexity of the lens causes light to converge at a focal point.
• The convexity of the mirror makes things look bigger.
• I love how the convexity of the sunglasses makes my face look slimmer.
• The convexity of her argument made it impossible to refute.

noun the process by which a beam of light or other system of waves is spread out as a result of passing through a narrow aperture or across an edge

• Diffraction is the bending of light waves around obstacles and openings.
• When light passes through a small opening, you can see diffraction patterns on the wall.
• Dude, did you see the cool diffraction effect when we shone the laser through the glass?
• Her words had a diffraction effect, spreading out and affecting everyone in the room.

noun the act of scattering or spreading widely

verb to scatter or spread widely

• The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd of protesters.
• The security guards dispersed the rowdy teenagers hanging around the mall.
• The party got busted and everyone had to disperse before the cops showed up.
• The rumors about the CEO's resignation quickly dispersed throughout the office.

noun a device or substance that modulates, or regulates, a signal or process

• The modulator is a key component in the signal processing system.
• Hey, can you pass me the modulator for the audio system?
• I heard that new modulator is lit!
• She is like a modulator, always adjusting to different situations.

noun a type of luminescence that occurs in the dark after exposure to light

• The scientists studied the phosphorescence of the deep-sea creatures.
• The glow-in-the-dark effect of those fish is called phosphorescence.
• Check out the cool phosphorescence on those rocks by the beach!
• Her smile had a phosphorescence that lit up the room.

noun a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation

• A photon is a basic unit of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation.
• Did you know that a photon is the smallest possible quantity of light?
• I heard that photons are like tiny packets of energy zipping around everywhere.
• Her smile was like a photon, brightening up the room with its energy.

noun a small hole made by or as if by a pin

adjective describing something related to or resembling a pinhole

• The photographer used a pinhole camera to capture the image.
• I made a pinhole projector out of a shoebox to watch the solar eclipse.
• I tried to take a pinhole selfie but it didn't turn out so great.
• The pinhole of light in the tunnel gave us hope that we were nearing the end.

noun a type of fish with a flat body and long tail

• The scientist used a ray of light to study the properties of the crystal.
• I caught a ray of sunshine while sitting outside.
• Let's catch some rays at the beach this weekend.
• His smile was like a ray of hope in the midst of despair.

noun the measure of a material's ability to absorb radiation, typically used in the context of solar energy

• The absorptance of the material was measured to determine its effectiveness in blocking out light.
• The absorptance of this fabric is really good at keeping the sun out.
• I heard this new sunscreen has a high absorptance level, so it's great for staying protected at the beach.
• His absorptance of new information was impressive, as he quickly grasped complex concepts.

noun a device or technology that combines acoustics and optics

adjective relating to or involving both sound and light

• The acousto-optic effect is a phenomenon where sound waves modulate the properties of light.
• I learned about this cool thing called acousto-optic that involves sound waves and light.
• Check out the acousto-optic setup - it's pretty mind-blowing!
• The acousto-optic system allows us to see the harmony between sound and light in a whole new way.