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Definition

The study of light and its interaction with matter. Geometrical optics usually considers the light as rays, and is concerned with the reflection and refraction of those rays at, for example, mirrors and lenses. Wave optics considers the light as a wave, and is concerned with the phenomena of diffraction and interference. Although all geometrical optics can be described in terms of wave optics, it is often much easier to consider light as traveling in rays.

Source: The Penguin Dictionary of Science. London: Penguin, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 17 August 2012.