The law of reflection is illustrated in Figure 1, which also shows how the angles are measured relative to the perpendicular to the surface at the point where the light ray strikes. Large telescopes use reflection to form an image of stars and other astronomical objects. When you look at this page, too, you are seeing light reflected from it. Whenever we look into a mirror, or squint at sunlight glinting from a lake, we are seeing a reflection. Explain reflection of light from polished and rough surfaces.Sol: We’ll use a diagram given below to answer the question:Ī. Find the angle made by the incident and reflected rays. Find the angle made by the reflected ray and the surface.ĭ.

A ray of light strikes a reflective plane surface at an angle of 42 o with the surface.Ĭ. Images formed by a plane mirror are of “same shape and size” as that of an object. Images formed by a plane mirror are “Erect/Upright”.Ĭ. Images formed by a plane mirror are “Always Virtual”.ī. Characteristics of Images formed by Plane MirrorĪ. Learn more about the Laws of Reflection of Light in detail. In doing so, we find that the image A’B’ being formed is virtual, erect and of the same shape and size as the object AB thereby giving us the characteristics of images formed by the plane mirror. Now, to get a complete image of the object AB, we join point A and B to point A’ and B’ by a dotted line. Similarly, a virtual image of point B will be formed behind the mirror as B’ from the incident rays BO and BE. Therefore A’ is the virtual image of point A of the object AB. Now, since reflected rays PA and OC are diverging and therefore cannot meet each other in front of the mirror, hence we extend these rays PA and OC behind the mirror by dotted lines. On extending these rays behind the mirror, we see that these rays meet at point A’ at a distance V’. Another ray OC falls on the mirror MM’ at a point O and is reflected along the path OC. This incident ray AP is reflected back in the same path PA. Let us suppose an object AB of size ‘h’ on the left-hand side of the mirror at a distance ‘u’.Īn incident ray of light AP from point A of the object AB falls on the mirror MM’ at point P. Let us take a mirror MM’ as shown in the diagram given above. (Source: Wikipedia) Image Formation by a Plane Mirror Here the rays of light which are reflected from a smooth and shiny object such as a mirror, are reflected at a definitive angle and each incident ray which is reflected along with the reflected ray has the same angle to the normal as the incident ray. Thus, this type of phenomena causes the formation of an image. Specular/Regular reflection is a mirror-like reflection of rays of light. Spherical Mirrors- Terminology and its types.Diffused/ Irregular reflection Browse more Topics under Light Reflection And Refraction There are majorly two types of reflection :ī. Learn more about Reflection of Light by Spherical Mirrors. The incident ray, the normal and the reflected ray, all lie in the same plane.

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.ī. Hence the above information gives us the “Laws of Reflection of Light” which state that :Ī. This normal is what divides the incident ray and the reflected ray equally and gives us the “Angle of Incidence” (Qi) and “Angle of Reflection” (Qr).

The ray that leaves the mirror is known as “Reflected Ray”.Īt the point of incidence where the incident ray strikes the mirror, a perpendicular line is drawn known as the “Normal”. In the diagram given above, the ray of light that approaches the mirror is known as “Incident Ray”.

Angle of reflection on a plane mirror