Difference between revisions of "Iridescence"
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== Description == | == Description == | ||
| − | The shimmery color effect seen on butterfly wings, soap bubbles, or with a thin oil film on water. Iridescence is caused by the diffraction of light between two adjacent materials with different refractive indices. [ | + | The shimmery color effect seen on butterfly wings, soap bubbles, or with a thin oil film on water. Iridescence is caused by the diffraction of light between two adjacent materials with different refractive indices. [[Divitrified glass]] sometimes has an iridescent sheen due to the thin surface scales. |
== Synonyms and Related Terms == | == Synonyms and Related Terms == | ||
Revision as of 09:30, 21 January 2014
Description
The shimmery color effect seen on butterfly wings, soap bubbles, or with a thin oil film on water. Iridescence is caused by the diffraction of light between two adjacent materials with different refractive indices. Divitrified glass sometimes has an iridescent sheen due to the thin surface scales.
Synonyms and Related Terms
iridescent
Additional Images
MFA Acc. #: 30.213
Iridescent butterfly wings
Iridescent Pearl (fine)
Authority
- Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridescence