Reflection and Refraction

Reflection
For light reflecting off a plane mirror (flat, smooth, shiny): Normal Reflected Ray Incident Ray

The normal is a line drawn at right angles (perpendicular) to the surface.

i r
Mirror

Angle of incidence (i)

Angle of reflection (r)

Reflection
For light reflecting off a plane mirror (flat, smooth, shiny):

Mirror

Angle of incidence (i)

Angle of reflection (r)

Refraction
Incident Ray Normal Perspex Refracted Ray Air

Normal

Emergent Ray

Refraction
As light passes from a less optically dense material into a more optically dense material it moves towards the normal. As light passes from a more optically dense material into a less optically dense material it moves away from the normal.
Normal Incident Ray Less optically dense More optically dense

More optically dense Less optically dense Normal Emergent Ray