optical phenomenon

Noun
  1. A physical phenomenon related to or involving light (synset 111511038)
    is a type of: physical phenomenon - a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy
    subtypes:
    • aberration, distortion, optical aberration - an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image
    • absorption band - a dark band in the spectrum of white light that has been transmitted through a substance that exhibits absorption at selective wavelengths
    • diffraction - when light passes sharp edges or goes through narrow slits the rays are deflected and produce fringes of light and dark bands
    • fringe, interference fringe - one of the light or dark bands produced by the interference and diffraction of light
    • incidence - the striking of a light beam on a surface
    • optical illusion - an optical phenomenon that results in a false or deceptive visual impression
    • pleochroism - the phenomenon of different colors appearing when certain crystals are viewed from different directions
    • polarisation, polarization - the phenomenon in which waves of light or other radiation are restricted in direction of vibration
    • parallax - the apparent displacement of an object as seen from two different points that are not on a line with the object
    • tyndall effect - the phenomenon in which light is scattered by very small particles in its path; it makes a beam of light visible; the scattered light is mainly blue

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