The main difference between holographic and iridescent is that holographic refers to holograms, which are photographic recordings of a light field that is used to display a three-dimensional image, whereas iridescence refers to the gradual change of colors when looking at a surface from different angles.
Holographic and iridescent are two terms related to light. Iridescence is a natural phenomenon, while holography is a man-made creation.
Key Areas Covered
1. What Does Holographic Mean
– Definition, Features
2. What is Iridescent Mean
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Holographic and Iridescent
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Holographic, Iridescent
What Does Holographic Mean
The term holographic relates to holograms and holography. A hologram is a photographic recording of a light field that displays a three-dimensional image. In other words, they are photographic records that can hold light from being scattered from an area without the use of special lenses. But for the holographic object to have a three-dimensional effect, the light would have to shin right through it. Hungarian-British physicist Dennis Gabor developed this holographic method. Moreover, we can even describe holography as the next stage of the photographic technique. Furthermore, three-dimensional holograms allow real objects or animations to look as if they float in mid-air or as if they are standing on a nearby surface.
Moreover, holograms have many uses. Technicians use them in medicine to produce full-color three-dimensional images of organs like the heart, brain, liver, lungs, and nerves. We also use them in data storage techniques to store a large amount of information inside high-density crystals or polymers. Another use of holograms is in the field of security: on credit cards, passports, currencies, DVDs, etc.
What Does Iridescent Mean
We describe something as iridescent when we see a gradual color change in an object when looking at it from different angles. We call this phenomenon iridescence. This color change happens with the change in the angle of observation and the angle of illumination. This term comes from the Latin word iris, which refers to rainbow. We can see iridescence in soap bubbles, butterfly wings, oil spill, or seashell nacre. In natural iridescence, the range of colors tends to be narrow, i.e., the color shift is between only a few colors.
Iridescence can happen through either interference or diffraction. In interference, a small section of color shifts on a surface depending on the light available, whereas in diffraction, a full range of rainbow colors are displayed from all angles. The iridescence that happens via diffraction can be seen in some forms of prisms, CDs, DVDs, or cloud iridescence.
Difference Between Holographic and Iridescent
Definition
Holographic refers to holograms, which are photographic recordings of a light field that is used to display a three-dimensional image, whereas iridescence refers to the gradual change of colors when looking at a surface from different angles.
Nature
Iridescence is a natural phenomenon, while holography is a man-made creation.
Examples
In addition, we can observe iridescence in soap bubbles, butterfly wings, oil slick, seashell nacre, types of prisms, CDs, or CDs. Holography, on the other hand, has uses in security labels, credit cards, passports, currencies, military mapping, DVDs, etc.
Conclusion
The main difference between holographic and iridescent is that holographic refers to hologram, which is a photographic recording of a light field that is used to display a three-dimensional image, whereas iridescence refers to the gradual change of colors when looking at a surface from different angles.
Reference:
1. “Hologram Technology.” SSLA, 20 Aug. 2020.
2. “Iridescence.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Jan. 2022.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Pyramid holographic 3D holographic projection phone projector 3D holographic projection 3D mobile phone naked eye 3D pyramid” By Karthikch98 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Photo of nature, grass, branch, drop, light, sunlight, leaf, flower, green, reflection, color, autumn, blue, circle, close up, sphere, floats, soap bubble, shape, iridescent, macro photography, liquid bubble” (CC0) via Pxhere
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