luminance (redirected from candela per unit area)

lu·mi·nance  (lm-nns)

n.

1. The condition or quality of being luminous.

2. Physics The intensity of light per unit area of its source.

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luminance [ˈluːmɪnəns]

n

1. a state or quality of radiating or reflecting light

2. (Physics / General Physics) a measure (in candelas per square metre) of the brightness of a point on a surface that is radiating or reflecting light. It is the luminous intensity in a given direction of a small element of surface area divided by the orthogonal projection of this area onto a plane at right angles to the direction. Symbol L

[from Latin lūmen light]

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luminance  (lm-nns)

The luminous intensity of a light source per unit area. Occasionally the lambert unit is used to measure luminance. Also called photometric brightness.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

luminance - the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light; "its luminosity is measured relative to that of our sun" brightness level, luminosity, luminousness, brightness, light physical property - any property used to characterize matter and energy and their interactions illuminance, illumination - the luminous flux incident on a unit area incandescence - light from heat glow, luminescence - light from nonthermal sources