When light strikes and reflects from the surface what happens to the reflected light?

A light ray that strikes an object consisting of two mutually perpendicular reflecting surfaces is reflected back exactly parallel to the direction from which it came ((Figure)). This is true whenever the reflecting surfaces are perpendicular, and it is independent of the angle of incidence.

What is the ray of light that strikes a reflecting surface called?

Incident ray : The ray of light that strikes the reflecting surface is known as incident ray. The angle between incident ray and the normal is known as angle of incidence.

When a ray of light strikes a mirror perpendicular to its surface the angle of reflection is?

Since the ray strikes the mirror perpendicular to its surface, the angle of incidence is zero (from the normal). The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. So the angle or reflection would be 0°.

What happens when light is reflected from a flat surface?

When light waves are incident on a smooth, flat surface, they reflect away from the surface at the same angle as they arrive. Regardless of whether light is acting as particles or waves, however, the result of reflection is the same. The reflected light produces a mirror image.

What are the two main things when light strikes a surface?

Here, two important things happen. First, the incident light will be reflected from the smooth surface at the same angle as the incident light. Second, and just as important, the reflected light will have the some color as the incident beam.

What is the angle of reflection equal to?

angle of incidence
The law of reflection states that the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence—θr = θi. The angles are measured relative to the perpendicular to the surface at the point where the ray strikes the surface.

Which would light travel through fastest?

Explain that unlike sound, light waves travel fastest through a vacuum and air, and slower through other materials such as glass or water.

What is bending of light called?

Refraction is the bending of light (it also happens with sound, water and other waves) as it passes from one transparent substance into another.

What happens when light strikes and shiny surface like a mirror?

Reflection is when light bounces off an object. If the surface is smooth and shiny, like glass, water or polished metal, the light will reflect at the same angle as it hit the surface. For a smooth surface, reflected light rays travel in the same direction. This is called specular reflection.

How does light travel from a source?

Light waves travel out from their source in straight lines called rays. Rays do not curve around corners, so when they hit an opaque object (one that does not allow light to pass through it), they are blocked from reaching the other side of that object.