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Characteristics of Light

Light is a form of energy produced by luminous objects.

Light can travel through vacuum.

Light can penetrate through transparent materials but cannot pass through opaque objects.

Light travels in a straight line in an optically homogeneous medium.

Light bounces back when made to fall on polished surfaces such as mirrors or metal surfaces. This bouncing back of light is described as reflection.

The change in the velocity of light when it travels from one transparent medium to another is described as refraction.

Light takes the path of least time in passing from one point to the other. This is nothing but Fermat's principle. The shortest distance between any two given points is a straight line. Thus Fermat's principle proves the rectilinear propagation of light.

Light appears to have a dual nature. During propagation, light exhibits wave characteristics but when it interacts with matter, it behaves like particles.