Light Waves, Mirrors

and Reflection

Physics 1 PAP
 Light
• Light is a transverse wave.
• Light waves are electromagnetic
waves--which means that they do NOT
need a medium to travel.
• Light can behave as a wave or a
particle. We will treat light as a wave
and so it will have the wave
characteristics such as amplitude,
frequency, and wavelength.
 Characteristics of Light
• Intensity (brightness) -- represented by
amplitude
• Color -- determined by frequency or
wavelength
• Wave speed - depends on the medium
• Light waves as well as ALL Electromagnetic
waves travel with a speed of 3.0 x 108 m/s in a
vacuum.
 Characteristics of
Electromagnetic Waves
• Made up of 2 components
– electric field & magnetic field
The electric and magnetic fields are
perpendicular to each other.
A changing electric field will create a
magnetic field and a changing magnetic field
will create an electric field; therefore the wave
propagates itself through space without need
of a medium.
 Electromagnetic Waves
• Radio • All of these follow the same
• Microwaves rules as Light and travel at
the same speed.
• Infrared
• They are listed in order of
• Visible Light
increasing frequency and
• Ultraviolet energy and decreasing
• X-rays wavelength
• Gamma Rays • Light is the visible part of
(highest f, E, shortest ƛ) the spectrum
To help you remember the order: “Red Martians invade
Venus using x-ray guns”
Luminous vs Illuminated
• Illuminated
• Luminous
– a body that
– a body that
emits light reflects light
– has luminous – no luminous
flux flux
– Ex: light bulb, – does not emit
light of its own
sun
– Ex: moon
 Luminous Flux (P)
• Luminous flux is the rate at
which light energy is emitted
from the source.
• Equivalent to Power
• Measured in lumens (lm)
 Illuminance (E)
• Amount of light that falls on a
surface
• Intensity of light at any given
distance from source
• measured in lux r
• lux = lumen/m2
P bulb
E
4 r 2
 Luminous Intensity (I)
• The amount of light (luminous flux)
that falls on one square meter at a
distance of 1 meter from the source.
• Equivalent to Intensity at r = 1 m
• Measured in candelas (cd)
P
I
4
Reflection & Mirrors
 Law of Reflection
normal
incident ray
reflected ray

i r
Plane (flat)
mirror surface

• Angles are always measured from the normal,

never the surface
• Angle of incidence equal angle of reflection
 i = r
 Types of Reflection
• Specular or Regular Reflection
– When parallel rays of light fall on a smooth
surface they are reflected parallel from the
surface. Forms a clear image. (Plane mirror)
• Diffuse Reflection
– When parallel rays of light fall on a textured
surface they are reflected in different directions.
They are diffused. Image not as clear. (lab table)
 Real versus Virtual Images
Real Image – an image formed when rays of
light actually intersect at a single point.
It is always inverted and image can be seen
on paper or a screen.

Virtual Image – an image formed by light

rays that only appear to intersect at a point.
The light rays seem to diverge from the point
where the image is formed. It is always erect
or upright and can not be seen on a screen.
 Plane (Flat) Mirror

• Forms an upright, virtual image

• Image is backwards (reversed from left to
right)
• Image distance from the mirror is equal to
object distance from the mirror (di = do)
• Image size is equal to object size (hi = ho)
• Magnification (M) = 1
 Concave or Converging Mirrors
• Reflective surface is “caved in” or like the
inside of a spoon
• Parallel rays of light (from a far object) will
converge at the focal point in front of a concave
mirror so they are called “converging mirrors”
• Focal point is half the distance from the center
of curvature (C) to the mirror
• f = R/2, where R is radius of curvature
 Convex or Diverging Mirrors
• Reflective surface is curved out or like the back
of a spoon
• Parallel rays of light (from a far object) will
diverge as if they originated from a focal point
behind the mirror so they are called “diverging
mirrors”
• Focal point is half the distance from the center
of curvature (C) to the mirror
• f = R/2, where R is radius of curvature
 Calculations
1 1 1 f = focal length
do = object distance
f do di
di = image distance
h
M i  di
hi = image height
ho do ho = object height
M = magnification
Note: All distances are measured from the center of the mirror
along the principal axis. All heights are measured from the principal
axis.
 M  hi  di

ho do
magnification formula can be
written as 3 separate equations:

Note: the negative sign on di is to make the sign of M consistent

with signs for hi and di (which are opposites)

Interpreting Calculations with signs
Focal length (f)
concave or converging mirror: f is + (in front of mirror)

convex or diverging mirror: f is - (behind the mirror)

Image distance (di)
di is “+” in front of mirror and the image is real
di is “-” behind the mirror and the image is virtual
Magnification (M)
M = +, image is erect (+ hi) and virtual
M = - , image is inverted (- hi) and real
 Ray Diagram
Concave Mirror (object beyond C)
Draw 2 rays from tip of object:
1) parallel, then through f 2) through f, then parallel
The image is formed where the reflected rays intersect.

object
Image is
real, closer, image C f
inverted, &
smaller
 Ray Diagram
Concave Mirror (object at C)

Draw 2 rays from tip of object:

1) parallel, then through f

2) through f, then parallel object
Image is real,
C
inverted, & image f
same size
and distance
 Ray Diagram
Concave Mirror (object between f & C)
Draw 2 rays from tip of object:

1) parallel, then through f

object
2) through f, then parallel

Image is real, C f
image
inverted, larger,
& farther away
 Ray Diagram
Concave Mirror (object inside f)
Draw 2 rays from tip of object:

1) parallel, then through f

2) as if it came from the focal
point and then parallel
3) extend the reflected rays image
behind mirror to locate
image C f object

Image is virtual, erect, larger,

& behind the mirror
 Ray Diagram
Convex Mirror
Draw 2 rays from tip of object:

1) parallel, then reflect as

if ray came from focus
2) toward the focal point,
then parallel
object image
3) extend the reflected rays f C
behind the mirror to locate
the image
Image is virtual, erect, smaller, &
behind the mirror