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DavidSnider
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Why do computer graphics programs like raytracers treat light almost exclusively as a particle rather than a wave?
Raytracing is a method of rendering computer graphics that simulates the behavior of light by tracing the path of individual light rays. Unlike other methods, such as rasterization, which calculate the color of pixels on a screen, raytracing calculates the color of each pixel by tracing the path of light rays and simulating how they interact with objects in a scene.
Raytracers treat light as particles because it simplifies the calculations involved in simulating the behavior of light. By treating light as particles, raytracers can easily calculate how light rays interact with objects in a scene and produce realistic lighting effects.
Raytracing handles reflections and refractions by tracing the path of light rays as they bounce off or pass through objects in a scene. By simulating the behavior of light in this way, raytracers can accurately produce realistic reflections and refractions in a scene.
Yes, raytracing can produce realistic shadows by tracing the path of light rays as they interact with objects in a scene. This allows the raytracer to accurately determine which objects are casting shadows and how those shadows should be rendered.
While raytracing can produce highly realistic and detailed images, it can be computationally intensive and time-consuming. This means that it may not be suitable for real-time applications, such as video games, and may require powerful hardware to achieve fast rendering times.