Reflection Properties
Table A.2 presents a good mix of materials and their basic reflective properties. There are many factors that affect an item’s reflectivity, so use these values as a starting point.
Table A.2 Percentage of Incident Light Reflected by Various Materials
|
Material |
% |
|
Aluminum |
45 |
|
Aluminum Foil |
65 |
|
Asphalt |
14 |
|
Brass |
40 |
|
Brick |
30 |
|
Bronze |
10 |
|
Chrome |
70 |
|
Copper |
71 |
|
Earth, Moist |
08 |
|
Gold |
84 |
|
Graphite |
20 |
|
Green Leaf |
21 |
|
Table A.2 |
|
|
Material |
% |
|
Iron |
15 |
|
Linen |
81 |
|
Marble, White |
53 |
|
Mercury |
69 |
|
Paper, Newsprint |
61 |
|
Paper, White |
71 |
|
Pewter |
20 |
|
Platinum |
64 |
|
Porcelain, White |
72 |
|
Quartz |
81 |
|
Rubber |
02 |
|
Silicon |
28 |
|
Silver |
90 |
|
Slate |
06 |
|
Stainless Steel |
37 |
|
Steel |
55 |
|
Tin Can |
40 |
|
Vinyl |
15 |
|
Wood, Pine |
40 |
Refraction Properties
Table A.3 provides a rather extensive list of items. Chances are you won’t need most of them until someone comes along from a scientific institution wanting work done that has to be scientifically accurate. You’ll be glad you have this list then!
Indices of refraction for various elements, materials, liquids, and gases at Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP) in visible light are listed.
Table A.3 Indices of Refraction
|
Material |
Index |
|
Vacuum |
1.000 (Exactly) |
|
Acetone |
1.360 |
|
Actinolite |
1.618 |
|
Agalmatoite |
1.550 |
|
Agate |
1.544 |
|
Agate, Moss |
1.540 |
|
Air |
1.000 |
|
Alcohol |
1.329 |
|
Alexandrite |
1.745 |
|
Aluminum |
1.440 |
|
Material |
Index |
Material |
Index |
|
Amber |
1.546 |
Chrome Green |
2.400 |
|
Amblygonite |
1.611 |
Chrome Red |
2.420 |
|
Amethyst |
1.544 |
Chrome Yellow |
2.310 |
|
Amorphous Selenium |
2.920 |
Chromium |
2.970 |
|
Anatase |
2.490 |
Chromium Oxide |
2.705 |
|
Andalusite |
1.641 |
Chrysoberyl |
1.745 |
|
Anhydrite |
1.571 |
Chrysocolla |
1.500 |
|
Apatite |
1.632 |
Chrysoprase |
1.534 |
|
Apophyllite |
1.536 |
Citrine |
1.550 |
|
Aquamarine |
1.577 |
Clinozoisite |
1.724 |
|
Aragonite |
1.530 |
Cobalt Blue |
1.740 |
|
Argon |
1.000 |
Cobalt Green |
1.970 |
|
Asphalt |
1.635 |
Cobalt Violet |
1.710 |
|
Augelite |
1.574 |
Colemanite |
1.586 |
|
Axinite |
1.675 |
Copper |
1.100 |
|
Azurite |
1.730 |
Copper Oxide |
2.705 |
|
Barite |
1.636 |
Coral |
1.486 |
|
Barytocalcite |
1.684 |
Cordierite |
1.540 |
|
Benitoite |
1.757 |
Corundum |
1.766 |
|
Benzene |
1.501 |
Crocoite |
2.310 |
|
Beryl |
1.577 |
Crown Glass |
1.520 |
|
Beryllonite |
1.553 |
Crystal |
2.000 |
|
Brazilianite |
1.603 |
Cuprite |
2.850 |
|
Bromine (liquid) |
1.661 |
Danburite |
1.633 |
|
Bronze |
1.180 |
Diamond |
2.417 |
|
Brownite |
1.567 |
Diopside |
1.680 |
|
Calcite |
1.486 |
Dolomite |
1.503 |
|
Calspar1 |
1.660 |
Dumortierite |
1.686 |
|
Calspar2 |
1.486 |
Ebonite |
1.660 |
|
Cancrinite |
1.491 |
Ekanite |
1.600 |
|
Carbon Dioxide (gas) |
1.000 |
Elaeolite |
1.532 |
|
Carbon Dioxide (liquid) |
1.200 |
Emerald |
1.576 |
|
Carbon Disulfide |
1.628 |
Emerald, Synth flux |
1.561 |
|
Carbon Tetrachloride |
1.460 |
Emerald, Synth hydro |
1.568 |
|
Cassiterite |
1.997 |
Enstatite |
1.663 |
|
Celestite |
1.622 |
Epidote |
1.733 |
|
Cerussite |
1.804 |
Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) |
1.360 |
|
Ceylanite |
1.770 |
Euclase |
1.652 |
|
Chalcedony |
1.530 |
Fabulite |
2.409 |
|
Chalk |
1.510 |
Feldspar, Adventurine |
1.532 |
|
Chalybite |
1.630 |
Feldspar, Albite |
1.525 |
|
Chlorine (gas) |
1.000 |
Feldspar, Amazonite |
1.525 |
|
Chlorine (liquid) |
1.385 |
Feldspar, Labradorite |
1.565 |
|
Table A.3 |
|||
|
Material |
Index |
Material |
Index |
|
Feldspar, Microcline |
1.525 |
Iolite |
1.548 |
|
Feldspar, Oligoclase |
1.539 |
Iron |
1.510 |
|
Feldspar, Orthoclase |
1.525 |
Ivory |
1.540 |
|
Fluoride |
1.560 |
Jade, Nephrite |
1.610 |
|
Fluorite |
1.434 |
Jadeite |
1.665 |
|
Formica |
1.470 |
Jasper |
1.540 |
|
Garnet, Almandine |
1.760 |
Jet |
1.660 |
|
Garnet, Almandite |
1.790 |
Kornerupine |
1.665 |
|
Garnet, Andradite |
1.820 |
Kunzite |
1.655 |
|
Garnet, Demantoid |
1.880 |
Kyanite |
1.715 |
|
Garnet, Grossular |
1.738 |
Lapis Gem |
1.500 |
|
Garnet, Hessonite |
1.745 |
Lapis Lazuli |
1.610 |
|
Garnet, Rhodolite |
1.760 |
Lazulite |
1.615 |
|
Garnet, Spessartite |
1.810 |
Lead |
2.010 |
|
Gaylussite |
1.517 |
Leucite |
1.509 |
|
Glass |
1.517 |
Magnesite |
1.515 |
|
Glass, Albite |
1.489 |
Malachite |
1.655 |
|
Glass, Crown |
1.520 |
Meerschaum |
1.530 |
|
Glass, Crown, Zinc |
1.517 |
Mercury (liquid) |
1.620 |
|
Glass, Flint, Dense |
1.660 |
Methanol |
1.329 |
|
Glass, Flint, Heaviest |
1.890 |
Moldavite |
1.500 |
|
Glass, Flint, Heavy |
1.655 |
Moonstone, Adularia |
1.525 |
|
Glass, Flint, Lanthanum |
1.800 |
Moonstone, Albite |
1.535 |
|
Glass, Flint, Light |
1.580 |
Natrolite |
1.480 |
|
Glass, Flint, Medium |
1.627 |
Nephrite |
1.600 |
|
Glycerine |
1.473 |
Nitrogen (gas) |
1.000 |
|
Gold |
0.470 |
Nitrogen (liquid) |
1.205 |
|
Hambergite |
1.559 |
Nylon |
1.530 |
|
Hauynite |
1.502 |
Obsidian |
1.489 |
|
Helium |
1.000 |
Olivine |
1.670 |
|
Hematite |
2.940 |
Onyx |
1.486 |
|
Hemimorphite |
1.614 |
Opal |
1.450 |
|
Hiddenite |
1.655 |
Oxygen (gas) |
1.000 |
|
Howlite |
1.586 |
Oxygen (liquid) |
1.221 |
|
Hydrogen (gas) |
1.000 |
Painite |
1.787 |
|
Hydrogen (liquid) |
1.097 |
Pearl |
1.530 |
|
Hypersthene |
1.670 |
Periclase |
1.740 |
|
Ice |
1.309 |
Peridot |
1.654 |
|
Idocrase |
1.713 |
Peristerite |
1.525 |
|
Iodine Crystal |
3.340 |
Petalite |
1.502 |
|
Material |
Index |
Material |
Index |
|
Phenakite |
1.650 |
Steatite |
1.539 |
|
Phosgenite |
2.117 |
Steel |
2.500 |
|
Plastic |
1.460 |
Stichtite |
1.520 |
|
Plexiglas |
1.500 |
Strontium Titanate |
2.410 |
|
Polystyrene |
1.550 |
Styrofoam |
1.595 |
|
Prase |
1.540 |
Sugar Solution (30%) |
1.380 |
|
Prasiolite |
1.540 |
Sugar Solution (80%) |
1.490 |
|
Prehnite |
1.610 |
Sulphur |
1.960 |
|
Proustite |
2.790 |
Synthetic Spinel |
1.730 |
|
Purpurite |
1.840 |
Taaffeite |
1.720 |
|
Pyrite |
1.810 |
Tantalite |
2.240 |
|
Pyrope |
1.740 |
Tanzanite |
1.691 |
|
Quartz |
1.544 |
Teflon |
1.350 |
|
Quartz, Fused |
1.458 |
Thomsonite |
1.530 |
|
Rhodizite |
1.690 |
Tiger Eye |
1.544 |
|
Rhodochrisite |
1.600 |
Topaz |
1.620 |
|
Rhodonite |
1.735 |
Topaz, Blue |
1.610 |
|
Rock Salt |
1.544 |
Topaz, Pink |
1.620 |
|
Rubber, Natural |
1.519 |
Topaz, White |
1.630 |
|
Ruby |
1.760 |
Topaz, Yellow |
1.620 |
|
Rutile |
2.610 |
Tourmaline |
1.624 |
|
Sanidine |
1.522 |
Tremolite |
1.600 |
|
Sapphire |
1.760 |
Tugtupite |
1.496 |
|
Scapolite |
1.540 |
Turpentine |
1.472 |
|
Scapolite, Yellow |
1.555 |
Turquoise |
1.610 |
|
Scheelite |
1.920 |
Ulexite |
1.490 |
|
Selenium, Amorphous |
2.920 |
Uvarovite |
1.870 |
|
Serpentine |
1.560 |
Variscite |
1.550 |
|
Shell |
1.530 |
Vivianite |
1.580 |
|
Silicon |
4.240 |
Wardite |
1.590 |
|
Sillimanite |
1.658 |
Water (gas) |
1.000 |
|
Silver |
0.180 |
Water (100°C) |
1.318 |
|
Sinhalite |
1.699 |
Water (20°C) |
1.333 |
|
Smaragdite |
1.608 |
Water (35°C, room temperature) |
1.331 |
|
Smithsonite |
1.621 |
Willemite |
1.690 |
|
Sodalite |
1.483 |
Witherite |
1.532 |
|
Sodium Chloride |
1.544 |
Wulfenite |
2.300 |
|
Sphalerite |
2.368 |
Zinc Crown Glass |
1.517 |
|
Sphene |
1.885 |
Zincite |
2.010 |
|
Spinel |
1.712 |
Zircon, High |
1.960 |
|
Spodumene |
1.650 |
Zircon, Low |
1.800 |
|
Staurolite |
1.739 |
Zirconia, Cubic |
2.170 |
