lawyer

#BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Reflection

Sound waves and light waves reflect from surfaces. When waves reflect, they obey the law of reflection:

the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection

• The normal is a line drawn at right angles to the reflector
• The angle of incidence is between the incident (incoming) ray and the normal
• The angle of reflection is between the reflected ray and the normal.

Your web browser does not have JavaScript switched on at the moment. For information on how to enable JavaScript please go to the Webwise site .

You will not be able to see this content until you have JavaScript switched on.

Smooth surfaces produce strong echoes when sound waves hit them, and they can act as mirrors when light waves hit them. The waves are reflected uniformly and light can form images The waves can:

• appear to come from a point behind the mirror, for example a looking glass
• be focused to a point, for example sunlight reflected off a concave telescope mirror.

Rough surfaces scatter sound and light in all directions. However, each tiny bit of the surface still follows the rule that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.