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Luminance For Lambertian Surfaces Formula:
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Luminance for Lambertian surfaces refers to the amount of light emitted, reflected, or transmitted by a perfectly diffusing surface per unit area. It measures the brightness or intensity of the light perceived by an observer from a surface that reflects light equally in all directions.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula calculates the luminance of a Lambertian surface by dividing the illumination intensity by π, which accounts for the uniform diffusion of light in all directions.
Details: Accurate luminance calculation is crucial for lighting design, visual comfort assessment, and ensuring proper illumination levels in various environments such as offices, homes, and public spaces.
Tips: Enter illumination intensity in Lux. The value must be valid (greater than 0).
Q1: What is a Lambertian surface?
A: A Lambertian surface is an ideal diffusely reflecting surface that appears equally bright from all viewing directions and reflects light uniformly in all directions.
Q2: What are typical luminance values?
A: Typical luminance values vary widely depending on the application. For example, office workspaces typically have luminance levels between 100-500 cd/m².
Q3: How does luminance differ from illumination?
A: Illumination (illuminance) measures the amount of light falling on a surface, while luminance measures the amount of light reflected or emitted by a surface as perceived by an observer.
Q4: What are the limitations of this formula?
A: This formula applies only to ideal Lambertian surfaces. Real surfaces may have different reflective properties and may not follow this exact relationship.
Q5: In what units is luminance typically measured?
A: Luminance is typically measured in candela per square meter (cd/m²), though this calculator uses Lux for consistency with the input units.