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Cartesian Ovals
In geometry, a Cartesian oval is a plane curve consisting of points that have the same linear combination of distances from two fixed points (foci). These curves are named after French mathematician René Descartes, who used them in optics. Definition Let and be fixed points in the plane, and let and denote the Euclidean distances from these points to a third variable point . Let and be arbitrary real numbers. Then the Cartesian oval is the locus of points ''S'' satisfying . The two ovals formed by the four equations and are closely related; together they form a quartic plane curve called the ovals of Descartes. Special cases In the equation , when and the resulting shape is an ellipse. In the limiting case in which ''P'' and ''Q'' coincide, the ellipse becomes a circle. When m = a/\!\operatorname(P, Q) it is a limaçon of Pascal. If m = -1 and 0 < a < \operatorname(P, Q) the equation gives a branch of a |
Set (mathematics)
In mathematics, a set is a collection of different things; the things are '' elements'' or ''members'' of the set and are typically mathematical objects: numbers, symbols, points in space, lines, other geometric shapes, variables, or other sets. A set may be finite or infinite. There is a unique set with no elements, called the empty set; a set with a single element is a singleton. Sets are ubiquitous in modern mathematics. Indeed, set theory, more specifically Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory, has been the standard way to provide rigorous foundations for all branches of mathematics since the first half of the 20th century. Context Before the end of the 19th century, sets were not studied specifically, and were not clearly distinguished from sequences. Most mathematicians considered infinity as potentialmeaning that it is the result of an endless processand were reluctant to consider infinite sets, that is sets whose number of members is not a natural number. Specific ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rigour
Rigour (British English) or rigor (American English; see spelling differences) describes a condition of stiffness or strictness. These constraints may be environmentally imposed, such as "the rigours of famine"; logically imposed, such as mathematical proofs which must maintain consistent answers; or socially imposed, such as the process of defining ethics and law. Etymology "Rigour" comes to English through old French (13th c., Modern French '' rigueur'') meaning "stiffness", which itself is based on the Latin">Wiktionary:fr:rigueur">rigueur'') meaning "stiffness", which itself is based on the Latin ''rigorem'' (nominative ''rigor'') "numbness, stiffness, hardness, firmness; roughness, rudeness", from the verb ''rigere'' "to be stiff". The noun was frequently used to describe a condition of strictness or stiffness, which arises from a situation or constraint either chosen or experienced passively. For example, the title of the book ''Theologia Moralis Inter Rigorem et Lax ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton () was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. Newton was a key figure in the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment that followed. His book (''Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy''), first published in 1687, achieved the Unification of theories in physics#Unification of gravity and astronomy, first great unification in physics and established classical mechanics. Newton also made seminal contributions to optics, and Leibniz–Newton calculus controversy, shares credit with German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz for formulating calculus, infinitesimal calculus, though he developed calculus years before Leibniz. Newton contributed to and refined the scientific method, and his work is considered the most influential in bringing forth modern science. In the , Newton formulated the Newton's laws of motion, laws of motion and Newton's law of universal g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Evolute
In the differential geometry of curves, the evolute of a curve is the locus (mathematics), locus of all its Center of curvature, centers of curvature. That is to say that when the center of curvature of each point on a curve is drawn, the resultant shape will be the evolute of that curve. The evolute of a circle is therefore a single point at its center. Equivalently, an evolute is the envelope (mathematics), envelope of the perpendicular, normals to a curve. The evolute of a curve, a surface, or more generally a submanifold, is the caustic (mathematics), caustic of the normal map. Let be a smooth, regular submanifold in . For each point in and each vector , based at and normal to , we associate the point . This defines a Lagrangian map, called the normal map. The caustic of the normal map is the evolute of . Evolutes are closely connected to involutes: A curve is the evolute of any of its involutes. History Apollonius of Perga, Apollonius ( 200 BC) discussed evolut ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caustic (optics)
In optics, a caustic or caustic network is the Envelope (mathematics), envelope of Ray (optics), light rays which have been Reflection (physics), reflected or refraction, refracted by a curved surface or object, or the Projection (mathematics), projection of that envelope of rays on another surface. The caustic is a curve or Surface (mathematics), surface to which each of the light rays is tangent, defining a boundary of an envelope of rays as a curve of concentrated light. In some cases caustics can be seen as patches of light or their bright edges, shapes which often have cusp (singularity), cusp singularities. Explanation Concentration of light, especially sunlight, can burn. The word ''caustic'', in fact, comes from the Greek καυστός, burnt, via the Latin ''causticus'', burning. A common situation where caustics are visible is when light shines on a drinking glass. The glass casts a shadow, but also produces a curved region of bright light. In ideal circumstances ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spherical Aberration
In optics, spherical aberration (SA) is a type of aberration found in optical systems that have elements with spherical surfaces. This phenomenon commonly affects lenses and curved mirrors, as these components are often shaped in a spherical manner for ease of manufacturing. Light rays that strike a spherical surface off-centre are refracted or reflected more or less than those that strike close to the centre. This deviation reduces the quality of images produced by optical systems. The effect of spherical aberration was first identified in the 11th century by Ibn al-Haytham who discussed it in his work Kitāb al-Manāẓir. Overview A spherical lens has an aplanatic point (i.e., no spherical aberration) only at a lateral distance from the optical axis that equals the radius of the spherical surface divided by the index of refraction of the lens material. Spherical aberration makes the focus of telescopes and other instruments less than ideal. This is an important effect, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aplanatic Lens
An aplanatic lens is a lens that is free of both spherical and coma aberrations. Aplanatic lenses can be made by combining two or three lens elements. A single-element aplanatic lens is an aspheric lens An aspheric lens or asphere (often labeled ''ASPH'' on eye pieces) is a lens whose surface profiles are not portions of a sphere or cylinder. In photography, a lens assembly that includes an aspheric element is often called an aspherical lens. ... whose surfaces are surfaces of revolution of a cartesian oval.. References Lenses {{optics-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surface Of Revolution
A surface of revolution is a Surface (mathematics), surface in Euclidean space created by rotating a curve (the ''generatrix'') one full revolution (unit), revolution around an ''axis of rotation'' (normally not Intersection (geometry), intersecting the generatrix, except at its endpoints). The volume bounded by the surface created by this revolution is the ''solid of revolution''. Examples of surfaces of revolution generated by a straight line are cylinder (geometry), cylindrical and conical surfaces depending on whether or not the line is parallel to the axis. A circle that is rotated around any diameter generates a sphere of which it is then a great circle, and if the circle is rotated around an axis that does not intersect the interior of a circle, then it generates a torus which does not intersect itself (a ring torus). Properties The sections of the surface of revolution made by planes through the axis are called ''meridional sections''. Any meridional section can be consi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Snell's Law
Snell's law (also known as the Snell–Descartes law, the ibn-Sahl law, and the law of refraction) is a formula used to describe the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction, when referring to light or other waves passing through a boundary between two different isotropic media, such as water, glass, or air. In optics, the law is used in ray tracing to compute the angles of incidence or refraction, and in experimental optics to find the refractive index of a material. The law is also satisfied in meta-materials, which allow light to be bent "backward" at a negative angle of refraction with a negative refractive index. The law states that, for a given pair of media, the ratio of the sines of angle of incidence \left(\theta_1 \right) and angle of refraction \left(\theta_2\right) is equal to the refractive index of the second medium with regard to the first (n_) which is equal to the ratio of the refractive indices \left(\tfrac\right) of the two media, or e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sine
In mathematics, sine and cosine are trigonometric functions of an angle. The sine and cosine of an acute angle are defined in the context of a right triangle: for the specified angle, its sine is the ratio of the length of the side opposite that angle to the length of the longest side of the triangle (the hypotenuse), and the cosine is the ratio of the length of the adjacent leg to that of the hypotenuse. For an angle \theta, the sine and cosine functions are denoted as \sin(\theta) and \cos(\theta). The definitions of sine and cosine have been extended to any real value in terms of the lengths of certain line segments in a unit circle. More modern definitions express the sine and cosine as infinite series, or as the solutions of certain differential equations, allowing their extension to arbitrary positive and negative values and even to complex numbers. The sine and cosine functions are commonly used to model periodic phenomena such as sound and light waves, the posit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lens (optics)
A lens is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), usually arranged along a common axis. Lenses are made from materials such as glass or plastic and are ground, polished, or molded to the required shape. A lens can focus light to form an image, unlike a prism, which refracts light without focusing. Devices that similarly focus or disperse waves and radiation other than visible light are also called "lenses", such as microwave lenses, electron lenses, acoustic lenses, or explosive lenses. Lenses are used in various imaging devices such as telescopes, binoculars, and cameras. They are also used as visual aids in glasses to correct defects of vision such as myopia and hypermetropia. History The word ''lens'' comes from , the Latin name of the lentil (a seed of a lentil pla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
