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Physics Lesson 12.1.5 - Media of Light Propagation
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Welcome to our Physics lesson on Media of Light Propagation, this is the fifth lesson of our suite of physics lessons covering the topic of Features of Light, you can find links to the other lessons within this tutorial and access additional physics learning resources below this lesson.
Media of Light Propagation
Light cannot pass through all media. Some materials allow light pass through them. They are known as transparent materials or media. Vacuum, air, glass, water etc. are examples of transparent materials.
Any light beam penetrates regularly through transparent materials. As a result, we see everything through them.
The opposite of transparent is opaque, i.e. in such materials light cannot pass through. Metals, concrete, wood, etc. are examples of opaque materials.
There is also a third category of materials in which light passes only partially across. Furthermore, the beam is not regular anymore after passing through them. These materials are known as translucent.
As you see from the figure, the light is dimmer after passing through a translucent material. This means not all light waves are able to pass through such materials because some of the light waves falling on a translucent material are absorbed by the material itself (light is transmitted only partially through them). Furthermore, they will diffuse after leaving the translucent medium.
Examples of translucent materials include thin plastic materials such as plastic bags, dirty water, clouds, blurry glass, etc.
You have reached the end of Physics lesson 12.1.5 Media of Light Propagation. There are 6 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Features of Light, you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.
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- Continuing learning optics - read our next physics tutorial: Reflection of Light
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