Lighting Design Knowledgebase

Lighting Design Glossary

 
 
 

Absorption
Absorption factor
Absorptance
Absorption Coefficient

(Terms of radiometry/photometry)

The dissipation of light (radiation) within a surface or medium, caused by the conversion of radiant (luminous) energy to a different form of energy, usually heat, by interaction with matter. The Absorption is the "missing piece", when comparing the total reflected and transmitted energy with the incident energy.

The ratio of the total absorbed radiant or luminous flux to the incident flux is called absorptance (formerly also absorption factor).

Standard unit of absorptance is percent (%) or a factor between 0 an 1.

The fraction of light absorbed per unit distance in a participating medium (eg. mist in the Radiance software) is called absorption coefficient.

Standard unit of the absorption coefficient is fraction per meter (/m)

In the Radiance software, absorptance and absorption coefficient are specified seperately for red, green and blue.

 

References:
   light
luminous energy
luminous flux
mist
Radiance software
radiant energy
radiant flux
 
 
English    German
absorption    Die Absorption
absorptance
absorption factor
   Der Absorptionsgrad
Der Absorptionsfaktor
absorption coefficient    Der Absorptionskoeffizient

 
 

Home

Lighting Software
  Rayfront
  Raydirect
  3Dsolar
  3D Lighting Tools
  Support
  Buy it Now!

Gallery
  Student Works
  Built Projects

Knowledge
  Glossary
  Resources
  Daylighting
  Literature

Download
  Rayfront Demo
  3Dsolar Demo
  Radiance Tools
  Autocad Tools

Information
  Site Map
  Newsletter
  About Us
  Privacy

  Tell a Friend
  Feedback

 

Surf Tips:
Mongolia Tours
The Yurt

 
 
http://www.schorsch.com/kbase/glossary/absorption.html
Copyright © 1998-2003 Georg Mischler. All rights reserved.