Further Topics

Thin film interference occurs when incident light waves reflected by the different layers of a thin film interfere and form a new wave.

Polarization is the attribute that wave oscillations have a definite direction relative to the direction of propagation of the wave.

Unpolarized light can be polarized artificially, as well as by natural phenomenon like reflection and scattering.

Rayleigh scattering describes the air's gas molecules scattering light as it enters the atmosphere; it also describes why the sky is blue.

Dispersion is the spreading of white light into its full spectrum of wavelengths; this phenomenon can be observed in prisms and rainbows.