What happens to light when it hits a mirror?

What happens to light when it hits a mirror?

• A. It reflects, following the law of reflection: angle of incidence equals angle of reflection
• B. It refracts and changes direction
• C. It is absorbed completely
• D. It diffracts around edges

Answer: (A)

Light that hits a smooth mirror bounces off in a predictable way called reflection. The angle at which the light arrives relative to the surface normal is the same as the angle at which it leaves, so the incoming and outgoing rays form equal angles with the perpendicular to the surface. This is why you see a clear reflection and can form an image in the mirror. Refraction would involve bending when light enters a different medium, which isn’t what a typical mirror does. If the surface were rough, you’d get diffuse reflection rather than a clean image. Absorption would mean the light is mostly taken in by the material, and diffraction around edges isn’t the effect seen with a smooth, polished mirror.

Light that hits a smooth mirror bounces off in a predictable way called reflection. The angle at which the light arrives relative to the surface normal is the same as the angle at which it leaves, so the incoming and outgoing rays form equal angles with the perpendicular to the surface. This is why you see a clear reflection and can form an image in the mirror. Refraction would involve bending when light enters a different medium, which isn’t what a typical mirror does. If the surface were rough, you’d get diffuse reflection rather than a clean image. Absorption would mean the light is mostly taken in by the material, and diffraction around edges isn’t the effect seen with a smooth, polished mirror.