http://www.ck12.orgCHAPTER
21 Physical Optics
Chapter Outline
21.1 Dispersion
21.2 THEDOUBLE-SLITEXPERIMENT
21.3 THINFILMS
21.4 POLARIZATION
21.5 REFERENCES
FIGURE 21.1
A rainbow is an example of physical op-
tics, where light shows properties like a
wave.Physical optics, also called wave optics, is the study of phenomena where light behaves like a classical wave and
not like a ray or particle. A rainbow is a classic example of this, where different colors of light separate based on
their wavelength. This also includes dispersion, the double-slit experiment showing interference, thin films, and
polarization.