Question

what govern the direction of reflected light from a surface

Answer 1

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection..

The incident ray , the reflected ray and the normal to the mirror all line in the similar plane.

Answer 2

The following factors govern the direction of reflected light from a surface -

• Incidence angle : The angle at which the light rays is fallen upon a reflective surface is known as the incidence angle and when the light is reflected by a smooth surface,the angle of reflection becomes equal to the angle of incidence.

• Surface type : A smooth and regular surface causes regular reflection where, angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. And,a rough and irregular surface causes irregular reflection.

• Travelling medium : The light rays travel according to the environmental medium and that's why the travell medium also affects the direction of the reflected light rays.