Reflectance: meaning, definitions and examples

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reflectance

 

[ rɪˈflɛktəns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

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 | Noun

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

Etymology

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.

See also: reflect, reflecting, reflection, reflective, reflectively, reflectiveness, reflectivity, reflector.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #14,982, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.