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How Do Mirrors reflect things?
I have heard about the normal line and whatnot, but I actually want to know how we see objects (and light) reflected by a mirror. I have been researching for days and I just don't get it. I have an assessment and I am stuck. Please make it easy to understand. I'm not stupid but I need to be able to understand it. KS3 level.
3 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Well if you actually want to know *how* a mirror reflects light, that's not particularly simple. Very roughly, a photon (ie light) can interact with an electric field (you may know that light is a type of electromagnetic wave). Certain materials (for example metals) have electric fields created by their electrons such that they cause the photon to be reflected.
Different materials reflect different wavelengths of light. For example, common glass is transparent to visible light but reflects UV - so you won't get sunburnt through a window!
- 1 decade ago
Light can bounce off surfaces. We call this reflection and we say that light reflects off surfaces.
Mirrors are very smooth and shiny. They reflect light evenly and we can see an image in them. A flat mirror is called a plane mirror. It is usually made from a sheet of flat glass, with a thin coating of aluminium or silver on the back to reflect the light.
