Diffuse and Specular Reflection
Diffuse and Specular Reflection
Visualize the effects of Mathematica's default lighting on a color wheel of spheres with adjustable diffuse and specular reflectivity. By default all seven spheres have the same color specular reflectivity, which is controlled by the upper section’s color slider and indicated by the monochromatic wheel icon. The six perimeter spheres have red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and magenta diffuse reflectivity and the central sphere is an achromatic diffuse reflector, which is indicated by the polychromatic wheel icon. The lower section’s lightness slider controls all seven spheres’ diffuse reflectivity. The bottom checkbox exchanges the roles of the diffuse and specular color controls so that all seven spheres have the same diffuse reflectivity, but the polychromatic wheel arrangement of specular reflectivities. Note that the specular exponent control moves between the upper and lower section so as to always accompany the specular color or lightness control.