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What Is Spectral Reflectance?

A physical property of a material, defined as the ratio of the radiant flux reflected by a surface to the radiant flux incident upon it, measured across the visible and sometimes invisible electromagnetic spectrum.

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What Is Spectral Reflectance?

A physical property of a material, defined as the ratio of the radiant flux reflected by a surface to the radiant flux incident upon it, measured across the visible and sometimes invisible electromagnetic spectrum.

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Color Appearance

The spectral reflectance curve of an object determines its color. For example, an object that appears red reflects light primarily in the longer (red) wavelengths and absorbs others.

Measurement

Measured using a spectrophotometer, which records the amount of energy reflected at very specific wavelength intervals.

Ocular Relevance

Used in fundus photography and imaging to analyze how different layers of the retina and choroid reflect light, aiding in diagnosing pathologies.

Is it temperature dependent?

Yes, while the underlying material structure dictates reflectance, temperature changes can slightly affect the electronic state of molecules, altering the spectral curve.

What is a white surface's curve?

A perfectly white surface would have a high, flat spectral reflectance curve, reflecting nearly all incident wavelengths equally.

How is it different from color?

Spectral reflectance is an objective physical property of the surface; color is the subjective perception of that property by the human visual system.