Question

Write short note on reflection?

Answer 1

What is Reflection of Light?

When a ray of light approaches a smooth polished surface and the light ray bounces back, it is called the reflection of light. The incident light ray which lands upon the surface is said to be reflected off the surface. The ray that bounces back is called the reflected ray. If a perpendicular were to be drawn on a reflecting surface, it would be called normal. The figure below shows the reflection of an incident beam on a plane mirror.  

Here, the angle of incidence and angle of reflection are with respect to the normal and the reflective surface.

Laws of Reflection

The laws of reflection determine the reflection of incident light rays on reflecting surfaces, like mirrors, smooth metal surfaces, and clear water. Let’s consider a plane mirror as shown in the figure above. The law of reflection states that

• The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same plane

• The angle of incidence = Angle of reflection

Types of Reflection of Light

Different types of reflection of light are briefly discussed below:

• Regular reflection is also known as specular reflection

• Diffused reflection

• Multiple reflection