COLOR

4-5
pink walls, when the light has suffered
five successive reflections before reach-
ing the work surface, as in an indirect
system, the illumination may be twice
as great as would be obtained with
gray walls of equal luminous reflec-
tance. The magnitude of this effect
can be computed for any surface by
multiplying the spectral reflectances at
the selected ordinates by themselves
as many times as the number of inter-
reflections. In all cases, the average
of these products will be greater if the
reflectance varies throughout the spec-
trum than if it is constant (as in the
case of a gray surface) at a value equal
to the luminous reflectance of the sur-
face color for the first reflection. The
color of the light after numerous inter-
reflections differs from the color of light
direct from the source and is always
such that the luminous reflectance of
the colored walls is higher for it than
for the color initially emitted by the
lamps. If the walls are blue, then the
light which has been reflected several
itially emitted by the illuminant.
12 3 4 5
NUMBER OF REFLECTIONS
FIG. 4*3. Comparison of inter-
reflection efficiencies of colored and
neutral surfaces having the same
luminous reflectance.
times is more blue than that in-
Color Names and Notations
The lack of precision characteristic of many terms used in everyday
speech contributes to the difficulty encountered in preparing specifications
which must be unambiguous and enforceable and yet at the same time
understandable to a layman.
In some cases, the efficient statement of color specifications sufficiently
precise to satisfy the layman requires the use of carefully defined but
unfamiliar technical terms. Fortunately such precision is not always
necessary and a simple system of color designation developed by the Inter-
Society Color Council in co-operation with the National Bureau of Stand-
ards often will be found adequate.
The notation and charts of the Munsell and Ostwald systems are well
known. In addition, there are many other collections of physical color
samples in use which offer practical utility to persons who understand their
principles and purpose.
6
Webster's New International Dictionary: 150 samples in 1946 unabridged
edition.