Reflectance: meaning, definitions and examples

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reflectance

[ rɪˈflɛktəns ]

^{Context #1}

in optics

The fraction of incident electromagnetic radiation reflected by a surface.

Synonyms

reflection coefficient, reflectivity

Examples of usage

The reflectance of the mirror was very high.
The reflectance of the glass increased with the angle of incidence.

^{Context #2}

in remote sensing

The ratio of the radiant flux reflected by an object to that incident on it.

Synonyms

albedo, reflectivity

Examples of usage

The satellite measured the reflectance of the Earth's surface.
The vegetation had a high reflectance in the near-infrared spectrum.

Translations

Translations of the word "reflectance" in other languages:

🇵🇹 refletância

🇮🇳 परावर्तन

🇩🇪 Reflexionsvermögen

🇮🇩 reflektansi

🇺🇦 відбивна здатність

🇵🇱 współczynnik odbicia

🇯🇵 反射率

🇫🇷 réflectance

🇪🇸 reflectancia

🇹🇷 yansıma oranı

🇰🇷 반사율

🇸🇦 الانعكاسية

🇨🇿 odrazivost

🇸🇰 odrazivosť

🇨🇳 反射率

🇸🇮 odbojnost

🇮🇸 endurskinshæfni

🇰🇿 шағылысу коэффициенті

🇬🇪 არეკლილი

🇦🇿 əks etdiricilik

🇲🇽 reflectancia

Word origin

The word 'reflectance' originated in the field of optics, where it is used to describe the proportion of light that is reflected by a surface. Over time, the term has also been adopted in remote sensing to refer to the ratio of reflected radiant flux. The concept of reflectance plays a crucial role in various scientific fields, including physics, astronomy, and environmental studies.