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refraction
[ ri-frak-shuhn ]
noun
- Physics. the change of direction of a ray of light, sound, heat, or the like, in passing obliquely from one medium into another in which its wave velocity is different.
- Ophthalmology.
- the ability of the eye to refract light that enters it so as to form an image on the retina.
- the determining of the refractive condition of the eye.
- Astronomy.
- Also called astronomical refraction. the amount, in angular measure, by which the altitude of a celestial body is increased by the refraction of its light in the earth's atmosphere, being zero at the zenith and a maximum at the horizon.
- the observed altered location, as seen from the earth, of another planet or the like due to diffraction by the atmosphere.
refraction
/ rɪˈfrækʃən /
noun
- physics the change in direction of a propagating wave, such as light or sound, in passing from one medium to another in which it has a different velocity
- the amount by which a wave is refracted
- the ability of the eye to refract light
- the determination of the refractive condition of the eye
- astronomy the apparent elevation in position of a celestial body resulting from the refraction of light by the earth's atmosphere
refraction
/ rĭ-frăk′shən /
- The bending of a wave, such as a light or sound wave, as it passes from one medium to another medium of different density. The change in the angle of propagation depends on the difference between the index of refraction of the original medium and the medium entered by the wave, as well as on the frequency of the wave.
- Compare reflectionSee also lens
- The apparent change in position of a celestial body caused by the bending of light as it enters the Earth's atmosphere.
refraction
- A change of direction that light undergoes when it enters a medium with a different density from the one through which it has been traveling — for example, when, after moving through air, it passes through a prism . ( Compare reflection .)
Notes
Other Words From
- re·fraction·al adjective
- nonre·fraction noun
- nonre·fraction·al adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of refraction1
Usage
Example Sentences
The film isn’t even purely the Hamiltonian refraction of history through a modern lens — although I think Sorkin wanted it to be.
That refraction separates the colors and sends them out of the raindrop heading in slightly different directions.
It is like looking through moving media of changing hue and variable refraction at something vitally unstable.
Such were the different false hypotheses which Kepler made respecting the law of the refraction of light.
It deals with the sources of light, reflection, refraction, and decomposition of light.
I had with me an admirable Hadleys sextant, and an artificial horizon, and I corrected the mean refraction of the suns rays.
Accurately taken, the statistics should give the condition of refraction at the age at which the squint begins.
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