1. Angle of Incidence (i): This is the angle between the incident ray and the normal to the mirror surface at the point of incidence.
2. Angle of Reflection (r): This is the angle between the reflected ray and the normal to the mirror surface at the point of incidence.
3. Laws of Reflection:
- The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence, i.e., i = r.
- The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal to the mirror surface at the point of incidence are all in the same plane, known as the plane of incidence.
Here are the changes that occur to a light ray when it strikes a flat mirror:
- Direction Change: The incident ray changes direction upon reflection. The angle at which the ray is reflected is equal to the angle at which it hit the mirror. This means that the reflected ray travels in a direction symmetric to the incident ray relative to the normal.
-Reversibility: The path of a light ray is reversible. If a light ray were to travel in the opposite direction, following the same path as the reflected ray, it would retrace the path of the incident ray.
-Image Formation: Flat mirrors produce virtual images. The image appears to be located behind the mirror, at the same distance from the mirror as the object is in the front. The image is laterally inverted, meaning that it is a mirror image of the object.
-No Change in Speed or Wavelength: The speed and wavelength of the light ray do not change upon reflection. The light maintains the same frequency and color.
-Multiple Reflections: If a light ray encounters multiple flat mirrors, it can undergo multiple reflections. The number of reflections and resulting images depend on the arrangement of the mirrors.
