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Reflection and Mirrors

Created @May 23, 2024 5:16 PM

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Reflection and Mirrors

Notes
1. Light is reflected off a surface when it bounces off into a new direction.

2. The smoother the material’s surface, the more likely that each ray of light will
bounce off with the same angle of reflection.

3. The rougher the material’s surface, the more likely that each ray will bounce
off at random angles.

4. When light reflects off a flat, mirrored surface, it always bounces off the same
way,

5. Reflection diagram:

a. The incoming ray is called the incident ray.

Reflection and Mirrors 1

 b. The outgoing ray is called the reflected ray.

c. The line perpendicular to the surface is called the normal line.

d. The angle between the incident ray and the normal line is called the angle
of incidence.

e. The angle between the reflected ray and the normal line is called the angle
of reflection.

6. The law of reflection states that the incident and reflected angles are equal to
each other.

7. Θi = Θr

8. Mirrors are surfaces that use specular reflection to produce images.

9. Image: an optical copy of an object we can see

10. Plane mirror: A smooth and flat mirror.

11. Light behaves differently when it approaches a curved mirror.

12. Concave mirror: Are mirrors that are bent “Inwards”

13. Convex mirror: Are mirrors that are bent “outwards”

14. In Concave mirrors, Rays converge into a focal point appearing in front of the
mirror.

15. In Concave mirrors, more focused images of larger objects when viewing from
a distance.

16. In Convex mirrors, rays diverge and all reflected rays appear to come from a
focal point behind it.

17. Makes larger, less focussed images of smaller objects when viewing from a
distance.

18. Real images: rays converge onto a real focal point that exists in front of a
mirror.

19. Virtual images: rays diverge from a virtual focal point point behind a mirror,
which is not possible.

Reflection and Mirrors 2