Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

10:12
Analyzing Mixing Inhomogeneity in a Microfluidic Device by Microscale Schlieren Technique
Published on: June 12, 2015
Measurement of gradient index profiles by Babinet fringe analysis
1Department of Physics, Lucknow University, Lucknow, IndiaIndian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, India.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|March 1, 1979
Abstract:
A theory for determining one-dimensional ray deflections with the help of distorted Babinet fringes has been developed. An approach for investigating two-dimensional ray deflections has been presented. Applications of the techniques for the study of gradient index glass have been described.
Related Concept Videos
Gradient Fields
A gradient field is a vector field derived from a scalar field. A scalar field assigns a single numerical value to every point in space, such as temperature, pressure, or electric potential. The gradient field describes how that value changes from point to point. It gives both the direction of the fastest increase and the rate of change in that direction.For a scalar field f(x, y), the gradient is written as\begin{equation*}\nabla f=\left\langle \jfrac{\partial f}{\partial x},\jfrac{\partial...
Significance of the Gradient Vector
A surface defined by a function of two variables can be understood by examining how it changes along specific directions. When one variable is held constant, the surface reduces to a curve that reflects variation in the other variable. For example, fixing one variable and moving parallel to a coordinate axis produces a cross-sectional curve. The slope of this curve at a given point represents how the function changes in that particular direction, providing a measure of local steepness.By...
Gradient and Del Operator
In mathematics and physics, the gradient and del operator are fundamental concepts used to describe the behavior of functions and fields in space. The gradient is a mathematical operator that gives both the magnitude and direction of the maximum spatial rate of change. Consider a person standing on a mountain. The slope of the mountain at any given point is not defined unless it is quantified in a particular direction. For this reason, a "directional derivative" is defined, which is a vector...
Gradient Vectors and Their Applications
Every point on a topographical map corresponds to a particular elevation, so the landscape can be modeled as a surface whose height depends on horizontal position. From any given location, a hiker may face infinitely many directions, but only one direction produces the fastest possible increase in elevation. This unique route is called the direction of steepest ascent, and in multivariable calculus, it is represented by the gradient vector of the elevation function.The gradient vector points...

