Physics Terminology Flashcards
Mirrors
A surface that has a polished which reflects light.
Reflection
The bouncing back of light
Images
The light that’s reflected in a mirror (reproduction of light)
Object
Anything in front of the mirror
Incident Ray
The light that hits the surface of the mirror
Reflective Ray
The light that bounces back from the mirror
Normal
A 90-degree line from the mirror, perpendicular to the surface of the mirror.
Angle of Incidence
The angle from the Incident Ray and the Normal
Angle of Reflection
The angle from the Reflective Ray and the Normal
Law of Reflection
The Law of Reflection states that the Angle of Incidence and the Angle of reflection will always be the same, assuming that the surface of the mirror is smooth.
Types of Reflections of Light
Specular Reflection: When the reflective light obeys the law of reflection, meaning that the image and its measurements are parallel to the object.
Diffuse Reflection: When the reflective light does not obey the law of reflection, meaning that the measurements of the image are different from the object, usually because the surface of the mirror is rough.
SALT Acronym
S = Size (Same size, smaller, or bigger)
A = Attitude (Upright or Inverted)
L = Location (In front or behind the image)
T = Type (Real or Virtual) (In plane mirrors)
What is Refraction
When light rays enter a new medium
Index of Refraction
The ratio between the speed of light divided by the speed of the new medium.
What are the two rules for Total Internal Refraction
The Incident angle must be greater than it’s Critical Angle, and it must travel from a denser medium to a less dense medium.
