Who is the father of optics?
Al-Hasan Ibn Al-HaythamConsidered to be the father of modern optics, Al-Hasan Ibn Al-Haytham was a 10th century scholar from Basra, modern-day Iraq, who pioneered scientific experimental methodology.
Why is Ibn al-Haytham known as father of optics?
Ibn al-Haytham was known for his contributions to Optics specifically thereof vision and theory of light. He assumed ray of light was radiated from specific points on the surface. Possibility of light propagation suggest that light was independent of vision. Light also moves at a very fast speed.
What did Al-Haytham invent?
Pinhole cameraIbn al-Haytham / InventionsA pinhole camera is a simple camera without a lens but with a tiny aperture —effectively a light-proof box with a small hole in one side. Light from a scene passes through the aperture and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of the box, which is known as the camera obscura effect. Wikipedia
What is Alhazen famous for?
Alhazen was an Arabian physicist, mathematician, and astronomer whose most significant contribution was his study in vision that is still used in modern times. He was also called the Father of Optics and “The First True Scientist” for pioneering the modern scientific method.Apr 4, 2020
Who first discovered optics?
Ibn al-Haytham was called "the father of modern optics".
Who is the first scientist in Islam?
Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham (known in the West by the Latinised form of his first name, initially “Alhacen” and later “Alhazen”) was born about 1,000 years ago in Basra, which is now in Iraq.Mar 24, 2015
Who is the first scientist?
Aristotle is considered by many to be the first scientist, although the term postdates him by more than two millennia. In Greece in the fourth century BC, he pioneered the techniques of logic, observation, inquiry and demonstration.Aug 20, 2014
Who is the first true scientist?
There is no doubt in my mind, however, that Ibn al-Haytham arrived there first. In fact, with his emphasis on experimental data and reproducibility of results, he is often referred to as the "world's first true scientist". He was the first scientist to give a correct account of how we see objects.Jan 4, 2009
What is the theory of optics?
Optics is the science concerned with the genesis and propagation of light, the changes that it undergoes and produces, and other phenomena closely associated with it. There are two major branches of optics: physical and geometrical. Physical optics deals primarily with the nature and properties of light itself.
Where is Ibn Al-Haytham from?
Basrah, IraqIbn al-Haytham / Place of birthBasra is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is handled at the port of Umm Qasr. The city is one of the ports from which the fictional Sinbad the Sailor journeyed. Wikipedia
Who is Alhazen in the history of photography?
scholar Ibn Al-HaythamThe Arab scholar Ibn Al-Haytham (945–1040), also known as Alhazen, is generally credited as being the first person to study how we see. He invented the camera obscura, the precursor to the pinhole camera, to demonstrate how light can be used to project an image onto a flat surface.Jan 17, 2021
Who was the scientist who influenced Averroes' optics?
Meanwhile, in the Islamic world, Alhazen's work influenced Averroes ' writings on optics, and his legacy was further advanced through the 'reforming' of his Optics by Persian scientist Kamal al-Din al-Farisi (died c. 1320) in the latter's Kitab Tanqih al-Manazir ( The Revision of [Ibn al-Haytham's] Optics ).
What is the first printed Latin translation of Alhazen's book of optics?
Front page of the Opticae Thesaurus, which included the first printed Latin translation of Alhazen's Book of Optics. The illustration incorporates many examples of optical phenomena including perspective effects, the rainbow, mirrors, and refraction.
What is Alhazen's problem?
It comprises drawing lines from two points in the plane of a circle meeting at a point on the circumference and making equal angles with the normal at that point. This is equivalent to finding the point on the edge of a circular billiard table at which a player must aim a cue ball at a given point to make it bounce off the table edge and hit another ball at a second given point. Thus, its main application in optics is to solve the problem, "Given a light source and a spherical mirror, find the point on the mirror where the light will be reflected to the eye of an observer." This leads to an equation of the fourth degree. This eventually led Alhazen to derive a formula for the sum of fourth powers, where previously only the formulas for the sums of squares and cubes had been stated. His method can be readily generalized to find the formula for the sum of any integral powers, although he did not himself do this (perhaps because he only needed the fourth power to calculate the volume of the paraboloid he was interested in). He used his result on sums of integral powers to perform what would now be called an integration, where the formulas for the sums of integral squares and fourth powers allowed him to calculate the volume of a paraboloid. Alhazen eventually solved the problem using conic sections and a geometric proof. His solution was extremely long and complicated and may not have been understood by mathematicians reading him in Latin translation. Later mathematicians used Descartes ' analytical methods to analyse the problem. An algebraic solution to the problem was finally found in 1965 by Jack M. Elkin, an actuarian. Other solutions were discovered in 1989, by Harald Riede and in 1997 by the Oxford mathematician Peter M. Neumann. Recently, Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (MERL) researchers solved the extension of Alhazen's problem to general rotationally symmetric quadric mirrors including hyperbolic, parabolic and elliptical mirrors.
What was Alhazen's criticism of Ptolemy's Almagest?
In his Al-Shukūk ‛alā Batlamyūs, variously translated as Doubts Concerning Ptolemy or Aporias against Ptolemy, published at some time between 1025 and 1028, Alhazen criticized Ptolemy 's Almagest, Planetary Hypotheses, and Optics , pointing out various contradictions he found in these works, particularly in astronomy. Ptolemy's Almagest concerned mathematical theories regarding the motion of the planets, whereas the Hypotheses concerned what Ptolemy thought was the actual configuration of the planets. Ptolemy himself acknowledged that his theories and configurations did not always agree with each other, arguing that this was not a problem provided it did not result in noticeable error, but Alhazen was particularly scathing in his criticism of the inherent contradictions in Ptolemy's works. He considered that some of the mathematical devices Ptolemy introduced into astronomy, especially the equant, failed to satisfy the physical requirement of uniform circular motion, and noted the absurdity of relating actual physical motions to imaginary mathematical points, lines and circles:
What did Alhazen write about the influence of music on animals?
Alhazen also wrote a Treatise on the Influence of Melodies on the Souls of Animals, although no copies have survived. It appears to have been concerned with the question of whether animals could react to music, for example whether a camel would increase or decrease its pace.
What is the model of the motion of the planets?
Alhazen's The Model of the Motions of Each of the Seven Planets was written c. 1038. Only one damaged manuscript has been found, with only the introduction and the first section, on the theory of planetary motion, surviving. (There was also a second section on astronomical calculation, and a third section, on astronomical instruments.) Following on from his Doubts on Ptolemy, Alhazen described a new, geometry-based planetary model, describing the motions of the planets in terms of spherical geometry, infinitesimal geometry and trigonometry. He kept a geocentric universe and assumed that celestial motions are uniformly circular, which required the inclusion of epicycles to explain observed motion, but he managed to eliminate Ptolemy's equant. In general, his model didn't try to provide a causal explanation of the motions, but concentrated on providing a complete, geometric description that could explain observed motions without the contradictions inherent in Ptolemy's model.
What did Alhazen argue against?
Alhazen argued against Ptolemy's refraction theory, and defined the problem in terms of perceived, rather than real, enlargement. He said that judging the distance of an object depends on there being an uninterrupted sequence of intervening bodies between the object and the observer.
What are the types of optics?
Today, we may roughly group the study of optics into three broad subfields of study: Geometrical optics, the study of light as rays. Physical optics, the study of light as waves. Quantum optics, the study of light as particles.
Who first invented glasses?
You might have heard that Benjamin Franklin invented glasses (he invented bifocals.) But glasses had already been around for 400 years by the 1700's, when Ben Franklin was active. The most well-known refuted claim attributes the invention of glasses to Salvino D'Armati, a 13th century Italian from Florence.
What are the laws of optics?
Geometrical optics is based on three basic laws: The law of rectilinear propagation (transmission). When a ray of light is reflected at an interface dividing two optical media, the reflected ray remains within the plane of incidence, and the angle of reflection θ r equals the angle of incidence θ i.
What is another word for optics?
Words related to optic ocular, optical, discernible, observable, observed, perceptible, seeable, viewable, visible, beheld, imaged, seen, viewed, visional.
Who invented convex lens?
The scientist and mathematician Abu Ali Hasan Ibn Al-Haitham, also known as Alhazen, "the father of modern optics," working in 11th-century Spain, described many of the properties of light, including refraction and color, as well as the magnifying properties of lenses.
What is the optics in physics?
A branch of physics that studies electromagnetic radiation (for example, light and infrared radiation), its interactions with matter, and instruments used to gather information due to these interactions. Optics includes the study of sight. Optics is the science of light. You rely on optics every day.
How lens is formed?
Lenses are made from materials such as glass or plastic, and are ground and polished or molded to a desired shape. A lens can focus light to form an image, unlike a prism, which refracts light without focusing.
What was the result of Euclid's reflections on the new theory of vision?
The result of his reflections in the paper “Optics”, supported by the experimental approach, is the new theory of vision, much richer and perfected than any before.
What was Ibn al-Haytham's solution to the problem of light?
One such was called ‘Alhazen’s problem’ for which he offered a geometrical solution: “Given a light source and a spherical mirror, find the point on the mirror where the light will be reflected to the eye of an observer”.
What is the name of the asteroid on the moon?
The impact crater Alhazen on the Moon is named in his honour, as was the asteroid 59239 Alhazen. In honour of Alhazen, the Aga Khan University (Pakistan) named its Ophthalmology endowed chair as “The Ibn-e-Haitham Associate Professor and Chief of Ophthalmology”. Alhazen, by the name Ibn al-Haytham, is featured on the obverse of the Iraqi 10,000-dinar banknote issued in 2003, and on 10-dinar notes from 1982.
What did Alhazen contribute to?
Alhazen’s work on optics is credited with contributing a new emphasis on experiment. Alhazen is p opularly known as the first scientist, developed the scientific method of experimentation and was the first person to formulate hypothesis and conduct verifiable experiments. Alhazen’s scientific knowledge was extensive. He wrote over a hundred books, more than half of which have been preserved. [3]
What is the most important work of Ibn al-Haytham?
Ibn al-Haytham’s most important work is Kitāb al-manāẓir (“Optics”). Although it shows some influence from Ptolemy’s 2nd century ad Optics, it contains the correct model of vision: the passive reception by the eyes of light rays reflected from objects, not an active emanation of light rays from the eyes. It combines experiment with mathematical reasoning, even if it is generally used for validation rather than discovery. The work contains a complete formulation of the laws of reflection and a detailed investigation of refraction, including experiments involving angles of incidence and deviation. Refraction is correctly explained by light’s moving slower in denser mediums. The work also contains “ Alhazen’s problem ” – to determine the point of reflection from a plane or curved surface, given the center of the eye and the observed point – which is stated and solved by means of conic sections. Other optical works include Ḍawʾ al-qamar (“On the Light of the Moon”), al-Hāla wa-qaws quzaḥ (“On the Halo and the Rainbow”), Ṣūrat al-kusūf (“On the Shape of the Eclipse”; which includes a discussion of the camera obscura), and al-Ḍawʾ (“A Discourse on Light”). [6]
How did Ibn al-Haytham change the course of science?
In his experiments, he observed that light coming through a tiny hole travelled in straight lines and projected an image onto the opposite wall. (Fig.
What is the book of Alhazen?
Book of Optics was translated into English : Thesaurus of Optics: seven books of the Arab Alhazeni, first edition: concerning twilight and the advancement of clouds. Risner is also the author of the name variant “Alhazen”; before Risner he was known in the west as Alhacen.
Who was the first person to change the perception of light?
About 1,000 years ago, a medieval Arab scholar by the name of Ibn al-Haytham managed to successfully change the prevailing perceptions of light and how the eye functions - hence revolutionizing the study of optics. His work helped change science around the world and is known today as the 'Book of Optics'.
Why did Ibn al-Haytham study the eye?
Today, researchers know that refraction is what causes light rays to bend when they hit the eye, which allows them to reach the retina in focus.
What did Ibn al-Haytham believe about light?
Ibn al-Haytham also explored theories surrounding lights and colors. He believed that light came in two main forms, primary lights and secondary lights. Primary lights are stronger and more intense and come from objects that light themselves.
What is the theory of vision?
According to the vision theory put forth by al-Haytham, objects omitted rays of light that proceeded from objects to the eyes. Objects are perceived as an infinite number of points that are emitting lights which can be perceived by the eye.
What is Ibn al-Haytham's work?
The work of Ibn al-Haytham is responsible not only for developing innovative scientific methods, but also for great advancements in optics. Whether a person wears glasses or just enjoys studying science, they owe a considerable amount to this medieval scholar.
Where was Kapany born?
Kapany was born on 31 October 1926, in a Sikh family in Moga, Punjab. He completed his schooling in Dehradun and went on to graduate from Agra University. He served briefly as an Indian Ordnance Factories Service officer, before going to Imperial College London in 1952 to work on a Ph.D. degree in optics from the University of London, which he obtained in 1955.
Who is Narinder Kapany?
In collaboration with international institutions and publishers, the Foundation runs programs in publishing, academia and the arts. In 1998, Kapany endowed a Chair of Sikh Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His gift in 1999 of $500,000 to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco established a gallery in its new building displaying the works he donated from his collection of Sikh art. In 1999, he endowed a Chair of Optoelectronics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Again in 2012, he established the Narinder Kapany Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship at UC Santa Cruz. He was a trustee of the University of California, Santa Cruz Foundation. He also served as a trustee of the Menlo School in Menlo Park, California.
Overview
Ḥasan Ibn al-Haytham, Latinized as Alhazen , was an Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist of the Islamic Golden Age. Referred to as "the father of modern optics", he made significant contributions to the principles of optics and visual perception in particular. His most influential work is titled Kitāb al-Manāẓir (Arabic: كتاب المناظر, "Book of Optics"), written during 1011–1021, which survived in a Latin edition. A polymath, he also wrote on philosophy, theology and medicine.
Biography
Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) was born c. 965 to an Arab family in Basra, Iraq, which was at the time part of the Buyid emirate. His initial influences were in the study of religion and service to the community. At the time, the society had a number of conflicting views of religion that he ultimately sought to step aside from religion. This led to him delving into the study of mathematics and science. He held a position with the title vizierin his native Basra, and made a n…
Book of Optics
Alhazen's most famous work is his seven-volume treatise on optics Kitab al-Manazir (Book of Optics), written from 1011 to 1021.
Optics was translated into Latin by an unknown scholar at the end of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century.
This work enjoyed a great reputation during the Middle Ages. The Latin versio…
Other works on physics
Besides the Book of Optics, Alhazen wrote several other treatises on the same subject, including his Risala fi l-Daw' (Treatise on Light). He investigated the properties of luminance, the rainbow, eclipses, twilight, and moonlight. Experiments with mirrors and the refractive interfaces between air, water, and glass cubes, hemispheres, and quarter-spheres provided the foundation for his theories on catoptrics.
Astronomical works
In his On the Configuration of the World Alhazen presented a detailed description of the physical structure of the earth:
The earth as a whole is a round sphere whose center is the center of the world. It is stationary in its [the world's] middle, fixed in it and not moving in any direction nor moving with any of the varieties of motion, but always at rest.
Mathematical works
In mathematics, Alhazen built on the mathematical works of Euclid and Thabit ibn Qurra and worked on "the beginnings of the link between algebra and geometry".
He developed a formula for summing the first 100 natural numbers, using a geometric proof to prove the formula.
Alhazen explored what is now known as the Euclidean parallel postulate, the fifth
Other works
Alhazen also wrote a Treatise on the Influence of Melodies on the Souls of Animals, although no copies have survived. It appears to have been concerned with the question of whether animals could react to music, for example whether a camel would increase or decrease its pace.
In engineering, one account of his career as a civil engineer has him summoned to Egypt by the Fatimid Caliph, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, to regulate the flooding of the NileRiver. He carried out a de…
Legacy
Alhazen made significant contributions to optics, number theory, geometry, astronomy and natural philosophy. Alhazen's work on optics is credited with contributing a new emphasis on experiment.
His main work, Kitab al-Manazir (Book of Optics), was known in the Muslim world mainly, but not exclusively, through the thirteenth-century commentary by Kam…
Who Was Ibn al-Haytham?
- Al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham, often referred to as Alhazen in many western circles, was a scholar who is famous for his studies on optics. He was born around 965 in Basra and died around 1039 in Cairo. He is known for being the first person to test hypotheses through experiments that could be repeated, as much as two centuries before scholars in the west began to do so. His scientifi…
What Made The Book of Optics So significant?
- The Book of Optics explored many concepts related to light and how the eye functions including how people are able to visually perceive their world. During the time leading up to the completion of the book, there had been two major theories about how vision worked. The first theory was known as the emission theory and was championed by Euclid and Ptolemy. According to this th…
The Theories Described in The Book of Optics
- Ibn al-Haytham’s Vision Theory
According to the vision theory put forth by al-Haytham, objects omitted rays of light that proceeded from objects to the eyes. Objects are perceived as an infinite number of points that are emitting lights which can be perceived by the eye. He pointed out that eyes can be damaged by l… - Anatomy of the Eye
Ibn al-Haytham also carefully diagramed and explored the anatomy of the eye. This included his presentation of his theory on refraction, which helped to explain why objects are seen clearly instead of appearing blurry. Today, researchers know that refraction is what causes light rays to …
Conclusion
- The work of Ibn al-Haytham is responsible not only for developing innovative scientific methods, but also for great advancements in optics. Whether a person wears glasses or just enjoys studying science, they owe a considerable amount to this medieval scholar.
Sources and Further Reading
Overview
Narinder Singh Kapany FREng (31 October 1926 – 4 December 2020) was an Indian-American physicist best known for his work on fiber optics. He is credited with inventing fiber optics, and is considered the 'Father of Fiber Optics'. Fortune named him one of seven 'Unsung Heroes of the 20th century' for his Nobel Prize-deserving invention. He was awarded India's second highest civilian award the Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 2021. He served as an Indian Ordnance Fac…
Early life and research
Kapany was born on 31 October 1926, in a Sikh family in Moga, Punjab in India (then British India). He completed his schooling in Dehradun and went on to graduate from Agra University. He served as an Indian Ordnance Factories Service officer, before going to Imperial College London in 1952 to work on a Ph.D. degree in optics from the University of London, which he obtained in 1955.
At Imperial College, Kapany worked with Harold Hopkinson transmission through fibres, achievin…
Career
As an entrepreneur and business executive, Kapany specialized in the processes of innovation and the management of technology and technology transfer. In 1960, he founded Optics Technology Inc. and was chairman of the board, President, and Director of Research for twelve years. In 1967 the company went public with numerous corporate acquisitions and joint-ventures in the United States and abroad. In 1973, Kapany founded Kaptron Inc. and was president and C…
Philanthropy and art
As a philanthropist, Kapany was active in education and the arts. He was the founding chairman of the Sikh Foundation and a major funder of its activities for over 50 years. In collaboration with international institutions and publishers, the Foundation runs programs in publishing, academia and the arts. In 1998, Kapany endowed a Chair of Sikh Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His gift in 1999 of $500,000 to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco established a g…
Awards and recognitions
Kapany was posthumously included in the list of Padma Vibhushan awardees for 2021. The award is India's second highest civilian honor. He received the UC Santa Cruz Foundation Fiat Lux Award in 2008. He was also the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2004. "The Excellence 2000 Award" from the USA Pan-Asian American Chamber of Commerce in 1998. In November 1999, he was identified by Fortuneas one of the seven "unsung heroes who greatly influenced life in the tw…
Personal life
Kapany married Miss Satinder Kaur in 1954, in London. His wife Satinder Kaur died in 2016.
Death
He died on 4 December 2020, aged 94.
External links
• Article on Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany at the Wayback Machine (archived 16 March 2019)
• News Article on Narinder Singh Kapany
• Obituary of Narinder Singh Kapany by Science Reporter (Published on 8 January 2021)