Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Optical path

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The path that light takes in traversing an optical medium or system is often called the optical path. The physical length of an optical device can be reduced to less than the length of the optical path by using folded optics. The optical path length as defined in optics is the length of the path multiplied by the index of refraction of the medium.

Contents

Factors affecting optical path

Path of light in medium, or between two media is affected by the following:

  • Reflection
  • Refraction
  • Dispersion of light
  • Total Internal Reflection
  • Absorption
  • Simple devices used

    1. Lens
    2. Mirror
    3. Prism
    4. Transparent
    5. Translucent
    6. Opaque objects

    References

    Optical path Wikipedia