Refract
[rɪ'frækt]
Definition
(verb.) determine the refracting power of (a lens).
(verb.) subject to refraction; 'refract a light beam'.
Checked by Balder--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off.
(n.) To break the natural course of, as rays of light orr heat, when passing from one transparent medium to another of different density; to cause to deviate from a direct course by an action distinct from reflection; as, a dense medium refrcts the rays of light as they pass into it from a rare medium.
Typist: Sam
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. Deflect (rays), deviate, turn from a straight course.
Checked by Horatio
Definition
v.t. to break back or open: to break the natural course or bend from a direct line as rays of light &c.—adj. Rēfrac′table.—p.adjs. Rēfrac′ted turned out of its straight course as a ray of light: (bot. &c.) bent back at an acute angle; Rēfrac′ting serving or tending to refract: refractive.—n. Rēfrac′tion the act of refracting: the change in the direction of a ray of light heat &c. when it enters a different medium.—adj. Rēfrac′tive refracting: pertaining to refraction.—ns. Rēfrac′tiveness; Rēfractiv′ity; Rēfractom′eter an instrument for measuring the refractive power of different substances; Rēfrac′tor a refracting telescope.—Angle of refraction the angle between a perpendicular and a ray of light after its change of direction bearing a constant ratio to the sine of the angle of incidence—the index of refraction; Astronomical or Atmospheric refraction the apparent angular elevation of the heavenly bodies above their true places caused by the refraction of the rays of light in their passage through the earth's atmosphere; Double refraction the separation of an incident ray of light into two refracted rays polarised in perpendicular planes.
Edited by Ellis
Examples
- Nor does the thin atmosphere refract the sun's rays or diffuse its light as upon Earth. Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Gods of Mars.
- When a ray of light passes from water or glass into air, the refracted ray is bent away from the perpendicular so that the angle of refraction is greater than the angle of incidence. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- In his clear northern flesh and his fair hair was a glisten like sunshine refracted through crystals of ice. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Light falling in a slanting direction is partly reflected and partly enters the stone; that part which enters is refracted or bent and causes the internal brilliancy. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Lights entering a diamond are reflected, refracted and dispersed. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- The angle of refraction is the angle formed by the refracted ray and the perpendicular to the surface at the point where the light strikes it. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- The ray _RO_ (Fig. 65) passes obliquely through the air to the surface of the water, but, on entering the water, it is bent or refracted and takes the new path _OS_. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- We have seen that light is bent when it passes from one medium to another of different density, and that objects viewed by refracted light do not appear in their proper positions. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- There are many different kinds of glass, and each kind of glass refracts the light differently. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- Many familiar illustrations of lenses, or curved refracting surfaces, and their work, are known to all of us. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- What is known as the modern refracting telescope is based upon a different combination of lenses than that used by Galileo. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
Checked by Basil