physics: optics Optics: the scientific study of light and vision; its various applications include lenses, microscopes, lasers and fiber optics.
wave Oscillation caused by a disturbance; as it propagates through a medium (mechanical waves) or a vacuum (electromagnetic waves), it carries energy.
electromagnetic spectrum Electromagnetic waves that are classified in ascending order of energy (frequency); they propagate at the speed of light (300,000 km/s).
pulsed ruby laser Device that produces a thin and very intense colored light beam; its various applications include fiber optics, manufacturing and surgery.
telescopic sight Optical instrument mounted on a rifle or a measuring device to increase accuracy.
prism binoculars Optical instrument made up of two identical telescopes, one for each eye; it magnifies both near and distant objects.
color synthesis Technique of generating color by combining light rays or subtracting them to obtain a colored image.
vision Ability to perceive shapes, distances, motion and colors; it is related to light rays and varies depending on the degree of sensitivity of the eye.
lenses Transparent pieces of material (usually glass) that cause light rays to converge or diverge to form a sharp image (eyeglasses, microscopes, telescopes, cameras).
magnifying glass and microscopes Optical instruments used to magnify the image of a near object; they range in strength from low (magnifying glass) to strong (microscope).