Engineering Physics

Optics is the branch of physics which relates to study of properties of light including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible ultraviolet and infrared light. Because light is an electromagnetic wave other forms of electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays microwaves and radio waves exhibit similar properties. Optical science is relevant to and studied in many related disciplines including astronomy various engineering fields photography and medicine (particularly ophthalmology and optometry in which it is called physiological optics). Practical applications of optics are found in a variety of technologies and everyday objects including mirrors lenses telescopes microscopes lasers and fiber optics.