The turning or bending of any wave, such as a light or sound wave, when it passes from one medium into another of different optical density.
The word 'refraction' is correct and usable in written English. It can be used to describe the bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium to another. For example: "The refraction of light as it travels through a prism creates a beautiful rainbow of colors.".
Ours is not an accurate representation of what Chekhov intended, but it is an honest refraction of what his play means to us.
A full exposition of the mathematics of waves is beyond the scope of this writeup; I will just mention quickly that a fuller understanding of it requires a grasp of the idea of superposition and interference - what happens when waves meet each other; refraction - what happens when a wave passes from one medium to another; and diffraction - what happens when a wave passes through a hole.
If the plan works, halting and hoarding light in this way could eventually lead to better computers.The odd property on which Dr Hess's plan rests is called negative refraction.
This refraction eliminates both the red end of the spectrum (red light is not bent enough by the air layer to form part of the second image) and the blue frequencies (which are scattered away: this selective scattering is why the sky is blue).
But the difference between being green and looking green is reinforced by the fact that photographs of the flash show it to be yellow, and that flashes at sunrise also appear yellow, even to the naked eye.The flash itself is actually a second image of the sun, caused by refraction of its light through the layer of air closest to the sea.
Typically, small glass spheres have held the two panes of glass apart, impairing by refraction the performance of the display.
Refraction, however, has not been much exploited medically or, at least, not until now.Giorgio Margaritondo, of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, in Switzerland, hopes to change that.
Being a terminologist, I care about word choice. Ludwig simply helps me pick the best words for any translation. Five stars!
Maria Pia Montoro
Terminologist and Q/A Analyst @ Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union