See Also: refraction(encyclopedia) Refraction(medicine) refraction(dictionary) Refraction(health) law of refraction(medicine) double refraction(encyclopedia) Angle of refraction(health) static refraction(medicine) refraction, ocular(medicine) refraction, angle of(medicine)

refraction (iou)



refraction noun. L16.
[French refraction or late Latin refractio(n-), formed as REFRACT: see -ION.]
The action of breaking open or breaking up. rare. L16-M17.
Physics. The fact or phenomenon of light, radio waves, etc., being deflected in passing obliquely through the interface between one medium and another or through a medium of varying density; change in direction of propagation of any wave as a result of its travelling at different speeds at different points along the wave front; an instance of this. E17.
The action of a medium in refracting light; refractive power or effect. M17.
A reduction on a charge or bill. Only in 18.
(The process of determining) the percentage of impurities in a sample of nitre. M-L19.
Measurement of the focusing characteristics of an eye or eyes. E20.
Phrases: angle of refraction the angle made by a refracted ray with the perpendicular to the refracting surface. double refraction: see DOUBLE adjective. index of refraction = refractive index s.v. REFRACTIVE 4. SEISMIC refraction. specific refraction: see SPECIFIC adjective.
Comb.: refraction profiling Geology profiling by means of refraction shooting; refraction shooting Geology seismic prospecting in which shock waves generated at the earth's surface are detected along a line some miles long, giving information about the nature and depth of underlying strata.
refractionist noun a person skilled in applying the laws of refraction, esp. for the correction of visual defects L19.

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