Fresnel effect

The Fresnel effect describes how the amount of light reflected or transmitted by a surface depends on the viewing angle. When light hits a surface directly, more is transmitted or absorbed; at glancing angles, more light is reflected. This is why, for example, water or glass appears more reflective at the edges or when viewed at shallow angles. The effect is influenced by the material’s properties and impacts realism in graphics and optics, as it accounts for the changing appearance of surfaces depending on the observer’s angle.