How can one classify commonly observed phenomena of light on the basis of nature of light?

Commonly observed phenomena concerning light can be broadly split into three categories:

1. Ray optics or geometrical optics: Ray optics can be used for understanding phenomena like reflection, refraction, double refraction, total internal reflection, etc.

2. Wave optics or physical optics: Wave optics explains the phenomena of light such as, interference, diffraction, polarisation, Doppler effect etc.

3. Particle nature of light: Particle nature of light can be used to explain phenomena like photoelectric effect, emission of spectral lines, Compton effect etc.