Metadata
shorthands: {}
aliases: [Geometric optics, Ray optics]
created: 2021-10-24 22:02:51
modified: 2022-01-10 04:42:36
Geometrical optics is a model of optics that describes light propagation in terms of rays.
Rays are an abstraction useful for approximating the paths along which light propagates under certain circumstances.
This model of optics does not account for wave properties, such as diffraction and interference or polarization.
It is an excellent approximation when the wavelength is small compared to the size of structures with which the light interacts.
It is especially useful when dealing with imaging, e.g. optical aberrations.