The laws of reflection are obeyed at all interfaces. Each time a ray of light strikes a boundary between two materials - air/glass or glass/water - some of the light is reflected. Light is also reflected when it is incident on a surface or interface between two different materials such as the surface between air and water, or glass and water. In both cases the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection at the point that the light ray strikes the surface. 2 Light reflection from a) smooth surface (specular reflection ) and b) rough surface (diffuse reflection). Reflection from such a rough surface is called diffuse reflection and appears matte.įigure.
Consequently, the outgoing rays are reflected at many different angles and the image is disrupted. 2b) strike different regions which are inclined at different angles to each other. The law of reflection is still obeyed, but the incident rays (Fig. When the surface of water is wind-blown and irregular, the rays of light are reflected in many directions. We call the reflection from a smooth, mirror-like surface specular (as shown in Figure 2a). Just as images are reflected from the surface of a mirror, light reflected from a smooth water surface also produced a clear image. All Things EqualĪll reflected light obeys the relationship that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. The dashed line (normal) is perpendicular to the surface. 1 Light reflected from a metal surface with angle of incidence i equal to the angle of reflection i'. 1 that the angles of incidence i and reflection i' are equal by joining the two angles with an equal sign.įigure. 1) at right angles to the mirror located at the point where the rays meet. The law of reflection requires that two rays are at identical angles but on opposite sides of the normal which is an imaginary line (dashed in Fig.
In Figure 1 we use a single line to illustrate a light ray reflected from the surface. Reflection involves two rays - an incoming or incident ray and an outgoing or reflected ray. A beam of light incident on the metal surface is reflected. Polished metal surfaces reflect light much like the silver layer on the back side of glass mirrors. The walls in the room that you are in do not emit their own light they reflect the light from the ceiling "lights" overhead. What is it about objects that let us see them? Why do we see the road, or a pen, or a best friend? If an object does not emit its own light (which accounts for most objects in the world), it must reflect light in order to be seen. The Reflection of Light All Things Reflected
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