kuultavuuden

Kuultavuuden is a Finnish term that broadly translates to "translucency" or "translucence" in English. It refers to the property of a material that allows light to pass through it, but not to the extent that objects on the other side can be clearly distinguished. This is in contrast to transparency, where objects can be seen clearly through the material, and opacity, where light cannot pass through at all.

Materials exhibiting kuultavuuden have a degree of light diffusion. While light can penetrate, its path is scattered or refracted as it travels through the substance. This scattering effect is what prevents a clear view of what lies beyond. Examples of materials with kuultavuuden include frosted glass, thin paper, some plastics, and certain types of natural stones like alabaster.

The degree of kuultavuuden can vary significantly. Some materials are only slightly translucent, allowing a faint glimmer of light through, while others are nearly transparent, permitting a hazy or blurred image to be seen. This property is often utilized in design and architecture to control the amount and quality of light entering a space, to create privacy while still allowing for illumination, or for decorative purposes. The Finnish term emphasizes the characteristic of being "able to be seen through" to some degree, highlighting the partial passage of light.