a grayscale pattern whose light and dark portions add texture to a sphere
an array of values that represent an object's height variations on a small scale
an easy way to add natural looking dents and bumps to an otherwise artificial plain-looking surface
a second map that's applied to a texture map, only instead of graphics, it includes height and depth details
a texture that changes the way light interacts with the applied surface, much like small bumps on an object in the real world
normal modifier which allows you to map a pattern of bumps around an object. The pattern of bumps is specified with an image. ( Language Reference)
A texturing method that alters the shading to create apparent changes in height of the polygon's surface, based on the brightness of the map's image. White is the highest, and black is the lowest. For example, a white image with black circles, mapped onto a sphere, will give the sphere an appearance similar to a golf ball.
A grayscale image used to give a surface the illusion of ridges or bumps. In Blender bumpmaps are called Nor-maps.
In rendering, the simulation of 3-dimensional surface detail effects by creating the illusion of bumps or other types of surface relief. A bump map does not alter the shape of surfaces to which it is assigned. Contrast with displacement map.