reflective power

Thân thiện

A mirror has a high reflective power.

Definition

Noun: The fraction of incident light that is reflected by a surface. It is a measure of a surface's ability to reflect light, often expressed as a ratio or percentage.

Usage

"Reflective power" is a technical term used primarily in physics, optics, and materials science. It describes a specific, measurable property of a material's surface. It is often synonymous with "reflectance."

Examples

• The reflective power of a clean, smooth mirror is very high, approaching 100%.
• Scientists measured the reflective power of the new solar-reflective paint.
• A surface with low reflective power, like black velvet, absorbs most of the light that hits it.

Advanced Usage

• Albedo: In astronomy and climatology, the term "albedo" is commonly used instead of "reflective power" to describe the reflectivity of planets, moons, or large-scale surfaces.
  • The high albedo of polar ice caps helps regulate Earth's temperature.

Variants and Related Words

• Reflectance (n): The scientific term most directly equivalent to "reflective power."
  • The spectrometer measures the sample's reflectance across different wavelengths.
• Reflectivity (n): A more general property describing how well a material reflects radiation (not just light).
  • The material's thermal reflectivity makes it ideal for insulation.

Synonyms

• Reflectance
• Albedo (for planetary bodies)
• Reflection factor

Antonyms

• Absorptance (the fraction of incident light that is absorbed)
• Absorptivity

Học thuật

Noun

1. the ratio of reflected to incident light

Từ đồng nghĩa

• albedo