Summary
This chapter explores how we perceive light by examining its behavior as it travels in straight lines, reflects off surfaces, and refracts when transitioning between media. Key principles include the law of reflection, Snell’s law, and the concept of total internal reflection, all of which are illustrated by ray diagrams and experiments. The discussion highlights real-world applications like fiber optics, prisms, and corrective lenses, and compares historical particle and wave models of light to build a comprehensive understanding of optical phenomena.