SECTION 7

LIGHT CONTROL
Once light has been produced by combustion, incandescence, gaseous
discharge, fluorescence, or other means, the problem of primary impor-
tance is its control. Light sources, such as flames or arcs, or incandescent,
electric discharge, or fluorescent lamps, rarely are found to have the
inherent characteristics of candlepower distribution, brightness, and color
suited to direct application without control or modification. Also, cer-
tain uncontrollable application conditions such as smoke, fog, condensa-
tion of moisture, collection of dust, grease, and so forth may alter the
characteristics of either lamp or luminaire in service.
Modification of lamp characteristics or compensation for uncontrollable
application conditions may be provided in a number of ways, all of which
are examples of one or a combination of the following phenomena (which
will be taken up in the order given here)
:
Reflection. Polarization. Diffusion.
Refraction. Interference. Absorption.
Diffraction.
Light Path Phenomena
Since most design problems may be solved by assuming light to be rep-
resented by bundles of rays which travel along straight lines, this con-
vention is used in this handbook. A few examples are given in small
type of the methods used to explain the phenomena which take place as
light is transmitted or reflected at the interface between mediums having
different optical properties. These examples utilize the concept that
light emanates from a source in the form of "wave fronts." The behavior
of these wave fronts can be described graphically and used to explain
various phenomena, involving principally a change in the direction of
wave propagation.
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Wave motion may be represented graphically as shown in Fig. 7-1, the plot of the
function
Y
=
a sin
(4-f)
where
Y =
displacement of particles from
point P on the wave path (at
time t)
a = amplitude of the wave
T = period of oscillation (time)
x
= distance along the wave path
from origin to point P
FIG. 7-1. Graphical representation
X = wavelength of a plane wave.
Phase differences between motions at points and P are equal to 2 n X/\; when
X/\ is a whole number, the motions are in phase.
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Note: References are listed at the end of each section.
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