The Britannica Guide to Sound and LightErik Gregersen Associate Editor, Astronomy and Space Exploration Audio and visual cues facilitate some of our most powerful sensory experiences and embed themselves deeply into our memories and subconscious. Sound and light waves interact with our ears and eyes our biological interpreters creating a textural experience and relationship with the world around us. This well-researched volume explores the science behind acoustics and optics and the broad application they have to everything from listening to music and watching television to ultrasonic and laser technologies that are crucial to the medical field. |
Contents
The Speed of Sound | 7 |
Acoustics | 57 |
Electromagnetic | 147 |
Biographies | 287 |
Conclusion | 332 |
63 | 340 |
13 | v |
Hearing | 47 |
Laser Beam Characteristics | 208 |
Optics | 223 |
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Common terms and phrases
aberration absorbed absorption acoustic amplitude angle aperture applications astronomer atoms axis Christiaan Huygens coherent colour decibels developed device direction distance Doppler effect electric and magnetic electromagnetic radiation electromagnetic spectrum electromagnetic wave electrons emit Encyclopædia Britannica energy equation filter focal function gamma rays glass harmonic Helmholtz Helmholtz resonator hertz hologram holography Huygens illumination infrared instruments interference laser laser beam length lens lenses light rays light waves magnetic fields maser materials mathematical measured mechanical medium metre microwave mirror molecules motion musical Newton nonlinear object observed optical system oscillating paraxial particles phase photon physicist physics plane polarized produce propagation pulses quantum radio waves range Rayleigh reflected refraction region resonator result scattering sound wave space spectrum speed of light speed of sound spherical standing wave stimulated emission string surface technique telescope temperature theory tion tube ultrasonic ultraviolet velocity vibrations visible light wavelength wavelets X-rays