Diffuse reflection

Reflection, diffuse

Description

A type of reflection in which a beam of light is reflected as numerous angles from an uneven or granular surface. Diffuse reflection is nonspecular. It occurs when light illuminates matte paint, powders, or any other non-shiny surface. Diffuse reflectance is the measured quantity of diffusely reflected light.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Diffuse Reflexion (Deut.); réflexion diffuse; réflexion (Fr.); non spéculaire (Fr.); nonspecular reflection; diffuse reflectance

Authority

• Walter C. McCrone, John Gustave Delly, The Particle Atlas, W. McCrone Associates, Chicago, IV, 1972

• M.Derrick, D.Stulik, J.Landry, Infrared Spectroscopy in Conservation Science, in Scientific Tools for Conservation series, Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 1999

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuse_reflection (Accessed Sept. 20, 2005)

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000