Glossary
A
- absorbed
- - soak up
- atmosphere
- - the air around the earth
C
- complement
- - to make complete
- complementary colors
- - color that when used together enhance each other
- concentrated
- - to make denser or stronger
- convex
- - curved outward
E
- electromagnetic radiation
- - special type of energy that is made of photons and travels in waves at the speed of light; some kinds are visible light, radio waves and x-rays
- electromagnetic spectrum
- - the range of all light waves visible and invisible
F
- focused
- - a point at which light meets together
- forensic
- - using scientific methods and techniques to solve crimes
I
- images
- - pictures or objects
- indigo
- - a purple-blue color in between blue and violet
- interference
- - getting in the way
L
- lasers
- - a single wave of light or beam of photons
- lenses
- - an optical devise that focuses light
M
- microscopes
- - a tool that magnifies objects for study
O
- opaque
- - light will not pass through
- optical illusions
- - an image that deceives reality
- optics
- - a branch of physical science that studies the properties of light and its interactions with matter
P
- perceived
- - observed or saw
- photons
- - particles of light
- photosynthesis
- - the process by which plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make their own food
- pinpoint
- - a tiny spot
- primary colors
- - red, yellow and blue
- prisms
- - triangular crystals that disperse light waves
R
- reflected light
- - light which bounces off of a surface
- reflection
- - the process of light waves striking a surface and bouncing off
- refracted light
- - light which bends in such a way to distort the image
- refraction
- - the process of light waves slowing and bending as they pass through one medium to another (for example, from air to water)
S
- scatters
- - to distribute irregularly
- secondary colors
- - orange, green and violet (purple)
- surgery
- - medical operation
T
- telescopes
- - a tool that makes objects far away appear to be closer
- translucent
- - an object that allows light to pass through but scatters the light
- transparent
- - an object that allows light to pass through without scattering the light
V
- vacuum
- - a space filled with nothing, not even air
- vertical
- - upright
- visible light
- - light that can be seen
W
- wavelengths
- - distance between one point on a wave and the same point on the following wave
- white light
- - light that contains all the visible wavelengths
X
- x-rays
- - short wavelengths that can penetrate solids
