Refraction

What do we mean by refraction?

The turning or bending of any wave, such as a light or sound wave, when it passes from one medium into another of different optical density. noun

The apparent change in position of a celestial object caused by the bending of light rays as they enter Earth's atmosphere. noun

The ability of the eye to bend light so that an image is focused on the retina. noun

Determination of this ability in an eye. noun

The act of refracting, or the state of being refracted: almost exclusively restricted to physics, and applied to a deflection or change of direction of rays, as of light, heat, or sound, which are obliquely incident upon and pass through a smooth surface bounding two media not homogeneous, as air and water, or of rays which traverse a medium the density of which is not uniform, as the atmosphere. noun

In logic, the relation of the Theophrastian moods to the direct moods of the first figure. noun

The act of refracting, or the state of being refracted. noun

The change in the direction of ray of light, heat, or the like, when it enters obliquely a medium of a different density from that through which it has previously moved. noun

The change in the direction of a ray of light, and, consequently, in the apparent position of a heavenly body from which it emanates, arising from its passage through the earth's atmosphere; -- hence distinguished as atmospheric refraction, or astronomical refraction. noun

The correction which is to be deducted from the apparent altitude of a heavenly body on account of atmospheric refraction, in order to obtain the true altitude. noun

The angle which a refracted ray makes with the perpendicular to the surface separating the two media traversed by the ray. noun

The refraction of a ray of light into an infinite number of rays, forming a hollow cone. This occurs when a ray of light is passed through crystals of some substances, under certain circumstances. Conical refraction is of two kinds; external conical refraction, in which the ray issues from the crystal in the form of a cone, the vertex of which is at the point of emergence; and internal conical refraction, in which the ray is changed into the form of a cone on entering the crystal, from which it issues in the form of a hollow cylinder. This singular phenomenon was first discovered by Sir W. R. Hamilton by mathematical reasoning alone, unaided by experiment. noun

The change of the apparent place of one object relative to a second object near it, due to refraction; also, the correction required to be made to the observed relative places of the two bodies. noun

The refraction of light in two directions, which produces two distinct images. The power of double refraction is possessed by all crystals except those of the isometric system. A uniaxial crystal is said to be optically positive (like quartz), or optically negative (like calcite), or to have positive, or negative, double refraction, according as the optic axis is the axis of least or greatest elasticity for light; a biaxial crystal is similarly designated when the same relation holds for the acute bisectrix. noun

See under Index. noun

An instrument provided with a graduated circle for the measurement of refraction. noun

Etc., the change in the apparent latitude, longitude, etc., of a heavenly body, due to the effect of atmospheric refraction. noun

The turning or bending of any wave, such as a light or sound wave, when it passes from one medium into another of different optical density.

The degree to which a metal or compound can withstand heat

Words that are spelled similarly to refraction:
refraction, retraction, refaction, reaction, reflection, fraction, infraction, redaction, detraction, refractive, refractor, reflation, refrication, refection, retroaction, refracting, reenaction, effraction, rarefraction, refractile, arefaction, refractions, abfraction.

Words that are triggered by (strongly associated with) the word refraction:
birefringence, refractive, refracted, ionosphere, diffraction, permittivity, aberration, dispersion, fresnel, cornea, calcite, corneal, prism, polarization, optics, reflection, indices, lenses, descartes, lens, rays, propagation, wavelength, chromatic, seismic, bending, horizon, geometrical, polarized, index, curvature, dielectric, optical, crystals, optic, electromagnetic, angle, hexagonal, scattering, incidence, waves, zenith, absorption, spherical, coefficient, medium, sunlight, angles, immersion, gradient, perpendicular, atmospheric, mineral, transparent, light, velocity, quartz, sunrise, celestial, glasses, calculated, angular, wave, atmosphere, vacuum, beam, phenomena, interference, reflections, phenomenon, geometric, astronomical, layers, interface, radius, thickness, laser, ray, axis, crystal, mirrors, bent, observer, depends, fiber, terrestrial, approximate, incoming, focal, eye, shear, occurs, radiation, accurately, error, glass, fraction, varies, apparent, curved.

Words that rhyme with refraction:
b fraction, brief fraction, c fraction, debris fraction, free fraction, g fraction, leaf fraction, p fraction.

Adjectives that are often used to describe refraction:
double, atmospheric, seismic, conical, cycloplegic, light, molecular, manifest, strong, mean, subjective, ordinary, unequal, single, astronomical, ocular, extraordinary, static, negative, specific, horizontal, irregular, normal, nonlinear, greater, differential, optical, postoperative, greatest, terrestrial, ionospheric, anomalous, internal, abnormal, over, weak, spherical, unusual, preoperative, magnetic, tropospheric, least, corneal, objective, accurate, careful, lateral, external, atomic, dynamic, prismatic, regular, oblique, minimum, myopic, strange, stronger, slight, equivalent, stable, variable, circular, excessive, atmospherical, vertical, binocular, downward, sound.

Nouns that are often described by the adjective refraction:
measurements, diffraction, studies, data, method, profiles, index, reflection, surveys, study, results, formulae, profile, effects, changes, lens, survey, contrast, spectra, variations, work, error, colours, effect, stations, lines, fluctuations, patterns, equivalents, material, correction, techniques, tables, angle, experiments, coefficient, result, garnets, observations, technique, formula, investigations, liquids, diagrams.

Words that sound like refraction:
refraction, refractions, refaction, refracting, refreshen, reflection, reflexion, refection, retraction, diffraction, rarefraction, infraction, ressurection, reformation, reaction, refashion, refreshing, resurrection, redaction, reduction, regression, refract, profection, refractory, ruction, redirection, rarefaction, refractor, refracts, protraction, retractions, refections, reflexions.