Metadata
shorthands: {}
aliases: [Ray of light, Ray (optics)]
created: 2021-10-24 22:09:32
modified: 2022-01-10 04:43:04
In optics, a ray is an idealized model of light. It is obtained by choosing a line that is perpendicular to the wavefronts of the actual light
They can be applied by dividing the real light field up into discrete rays that can be computationally propagated through the system (by ray tracing). This uses approximate solutions to Maxwell's equations.
It cannot describe some phenomena such as diffraction. We can model interference with rays, but in a very limited way, by adding phase to the ray model.