02871cam a2200325 a 4500991002076079707536130604s2012 njuaf b 001 0 eng d9780691139906 (hardback)9780691139913 (paperback)b14117241-39ule_instDip.to Fisicaeng571.4/5523LC QH515617.7Johnsen, Sönke478564The optics of life :a biologist's guide to light in nature /Sönke JohnsenPrinceton, NJ :Princeton University Press,c2012x, 336 p., [8] p. of plates :ill. (some col.) ;24 cmIncludes bibliographical references and indexUnits and geometry -- Emission -- Absorption -- Scattering -- Scattering with interference -- Fluorescence -- Polarization -- Measuring light -- What is light, really? -- Appendix A. Converting spectral irradiance to lux -- Appendix B. Calculating the absorbance spectrum of a visual pigment -- Appendix C. Refractive indices of common subtances -- Appendix D. Optical properties of very clear water -- Appendix E. Optical properties of natural waters -- Appendix F. Useful formulas -- Appendix G. Equipment and software suppliers"Optics--a field of physics focusing on the study of light--is also central to many areas of biology, including vision, ecology, botany, animal behavior, neurobiology, and molecular biology. The Optics of Life introduces the fundamentals of optics to biologists and nonphysicists, giving them the tools they need to successfully incorporate optical measurements and principles into their research. S©œnke Johnsen starts with the basics, describing the properties of light and the units and geometry of measurement. He then explores how light is created and propagates and how it interacts with matter, covering topics such as absorption, scattering, fluorescence, and polarization. Johnsen also provides a tutorial on how to measure light as well as an informative discussion of quantum mechanics. The Optics of Life features a host of examples drawn from nature and everyday life, and several appendixes that offer further practical guidance for researchers. This concise book uses a minimum of equations and jargon, explaining the basic physics of light in a succinct and lively manner. It is the essential primer for working biologists and for anyone seeking an accessible introduction to optics"PhotobiologyPhysiological optics.Polarization (Light).b1411724102-04-1404-06-13991002076079707536LE006 617.7 JOH12006000170208le006pE38.08-l- 01110.i1553025506-09-13Optics of life263956UNISALENTOle00604-06-13ma -engnju40