Chapter 5 - EM Waves - Refection

Question 1

What is the law of reflection?

Answer 1

Angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection (measured from normal line)

Question 2

What do all the rays have to be for an image to form, and what it is called?

Answer 2

They need to be parallel - specular reflection

Question 3

What happens if not all light rays are parallel?

Answer 3

The image distorts

Question 4

What happens to reflection when the surface isn’t very flat, and what is it called?

Answer 4

The light gets scattered and no image is formed - diffuse reflection

Question 5

How would you draw the reflection of an object in a mirror?

Answer 5

~ draw mirror in the middle, with object to one side
~ draw ray from a part of the object anywhere to the mirror, then draw the normal where it meets the mirror
~ reflect the ray back, keeping angle of incidence the same as angle of reflection
~ carry the ray back behind the mirror
~ do this with another ray from the same part on the object to a different place on the mirror
~ where they meet behind the mirror is where that part of the object is - this is the image

Question 6

What has happened to the image in the mirror?

Answer 6

The image is virtual (not real) and is inverted (reversed)