Optics is the branch of physics that deals with the study of light, its behavior, properties, and interactions with matter. It encompasses the study of both visible and non-visible forms of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared radiation, and more. Optics plays a crucial role in understanding how light interacts with various materials and how it forms images.

There are two main subfields within optics:

1. Geometrical Optics: Geometrical optics focuses on the study of light as rays that travel in straight lines. It deals with how light behaves when it encounters reflective and refractive surfaces such as mirrors, lenses, and prisms. Geometrical optics is particularly concerned with the formation of images by optical devices like cameras, telescopes, and microscopes.

2. Physical (Wave) Optics: Physical optics, also known as wave optics, treats light as a wave phenomenon. It involves the study of light's behavior in terms of its wave nature, including phenomena such as interference, diffraction, and polarization. Physical optics explains why light can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behaviors.

3.