Light -

Reflection
SECONDARY 3 PHYSICS
For E-Learning, please read slides 1 to 15
What is Light?
Light is the part of the Electromagnetic (EM)
spectrum which we can see.
Light travels in straight lines called rays.
A bundle of rays is known as a beam of light.

A ray A parallel A
A convergent
beam divergent
beam
beam
Properties of Light
1 Light travels in a straight line.
2 Light travels at a speed of 3  108 m/s.
3 Light can travel through vacuum.
4 Light is a wave that carries energy (light
energy) from one place to another.
Luminous and Non-Luminous
Luminous objects are objects that give off
light on its own.
Example: Light bulb, Sun

We can see a luminous object when light

from it enters our eyes.
Luminous and Non-Luminous

Non-luminous objects are objects that do

not give off light on its own.
Example: table, board, Moon

We can see a non-luminous object when

they reflect light from a light source into
our eyes.
Seeing a luminous and a non-
luminous object
Light from the
lamp enters
observer’s eyes
directly enabling
him to see the
lamp

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Reflection
Reflection is the bouncing of light rays off
a surface.
We are able to see non-luminous objects as
light is reflected off them.
Reflection Terminology

normal

Angle of Angle of
Incident incidence, i reflection, r Reflected
ray ray

surface
What is the angle of incidence?
ANSWER:
normal
Angle of incidence
= 90o – 35o
= 55o
Incident
ray
NOTE: Angle of
incidence is between
35o the normal and the
incident ray
surface
Laws of Reflection
The incident ray, the reflected ray and the
normal all lie on the same plane.

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle

of reflection.
Reflection for Different Surfaces

Regular reflection
•On smooth
surfaces

Diffused reflection
•On rough surfaces
 Regular Reflection

smooth surface

When light reflects from a smooth surface, it maintains its

geometry. Parallel incident rays are reflected as parallel
reflected rays and a clear image is obtained.
 Diffuse Reflection
When a reflecting surface is rough, diffuse reflection
occurs.

rough surface

The law of reflection still holds, but incident parallel rays

do not reflect as parallel rays any more.

In diffuse reflection, the reflected rays leave the surface at

so many different directions such that the image is
 Regular and Diffuse Reflection
On a mirror or a calm water surface, regular reflection occurs. The
image formed on such surfaces are clear and sharp.

However, if the surface is rough, or the water surface is disturbed,

diffuse reflection occurs. The image formed is blur.
Properties of Image Formed by a
Plane Mirror

Same size as the object

Laterally inverted (left-to-
right inversion)
Upright
Virtual (image cannot be
caught on a screen)
Object distance is equal to
image distance
 Drawing Ray Diagrams
There are many light rays reflected from an object to
reach the mirror surface. However, only some light
rays will be captured by the eyes.

object

Only this ray enters the

eye and enables it to see
the image
plane mirror
To view the image of an object in a mirror, the eye should be
positioned along the direction where the reflected rays from
the mirror can be captured by the eye.
 Drawing Ray Diagrams
To the eye, the light ray reaching the eye appears to come
from the image behind the mirror.

object

plane mirror

This type of image is called a virtual image because it is

formed at a place where there is no light from the object.
The mirror simply makes the light appear to be coming
from behind it.
 Drawing Ray Diagrams
Steps involved in drawing ray diagrams
Supposing a triangular object is placed in front of a mirror. We can draw a ray diagram to
show how the eye sees the image in the mirror.
plane mirror
object image
x cm x cm

1st - draw the image of the triangle, such that it is of the same size and
same shape, as far behind the mirror as the object is in front.
 Drawing Ray Diagrams
2nd – draw two diverging rays from any point on the image towards where
the eye is positioned.

object plane mirror image

3rd – draw two diverging rays from the corresponding point on the object to the
mirror to meet the reflected rays.
 Let’s revise how to draw ray
diagram

Object, O Image, I

observer
 Test Yourself!
Which direction is the light ray actually coming from?
(a) Sarah S went shopping with Caroline C one Sunday afternoon. Both girls stood in
Which
front ofdirection does the the
a shop admiring lightwindow
ray seems to reach Sarah’s eye?
display.
(i) Mark Caroline’s image on the glass window, at appropriate position.
(ii) Draw ray diagrams to show how Sarah can see her friend by reflection on
the shop window glass.
Where should you mark Caroline’s image on the glass window? Why?

S C

wall Shop window wall

 Ray diagram Practice
Which direction1
is the the
does lightlight
ray ray
actually
seems coming from?
to reach Sarah’s eye?
(b) Caroline moves away from Sarah to a new location C’ to look at the display at the next
shop. S C C’

i r

wall Shop window wall

(i) Mark Caroline’s new image position

(ii) Show by ray diagram, whether Sarah can still see her friend by reflection. (ii)
Explain how your ray diagram helps you conclude on whether Caroline
can be seen by reflection.
Light rays from Caroline can still be reflected on the glass
window, obeying the Laws of Reflection, where
i = r.