Reflection

• Reflection


  All waves can be absorbed, transmitted or reflected when they arrive at a boundary between two different materials
• What can happen when waves arrive at a boundary

  1. Absorbed by the material

  2. Transmitted through the new material

  3. Reflected
• What actually happens depends on the wavelength of the wave and the properties of the materials involved
• Drawing a simple ray diagram for reflection

  1. Angle of incidence = angle of reflection

  2. The angle of incidence is the angle between the incoming wave and the normal

  3. The angle of reflection is the angle between the reflected wave and the normal

  4. The normal is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence
• Specular reflection


  Waves are reflected in a single direction by a smooth surface
• Diffuse reflection


  Waves are reflected by a rough surface and the reflected rays are scattered in lots of different directions
• When light is reflected by a rough surface, the surface appears matte (not shiny) and you don't get a clear reflection of objects
• Ray


  A line showing the path a wave travels
• Rays are always drawn as straight lines