प्रकाश का परावर्तन

Reflection of Light

Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that travels in waves. When these waves meet an interface between two different mediums like glass, water, or air, they can either reflect, transmit, or absorb. In this context, we will discuss the reflection of light, which occurs when the light wave bounces back from the surface it encounters without being absorbed into the new medium. This interaction gives rise to phenomena such as rainbows, mirrors, and reflections in puddles or glass surfaces.

Reflection at Angular Incidence

When light waves hit a surface with a glancing blow due to their angle of incidence, they can bounce away from that surface. This phenomenon is known as reflection at angular incidence, where the incident angle refers to the angle between the incoming light ray and the normal line (perpendicular to the reflecting surface). For example, when sunlight strikes a water surface at a particular angle, it can create rainbow effects because of this reflection. The reflected wave will have the same frequency but reversed direction in terms of its oscillation.

Laws of Reflection

The laws of reflection describe how light behaves when it reflects off a smooth flat mirror. These laws apply regardless of the type of medium being used for reflection, such as mirror surfaces or curved mirrors. They state that the angle of incidence (θ1) is equal to the angle of reflection (θ2), meaning that both angles measure the angle between the incoming light ray and the normal line:

θ1 = θ2

Furthermore, the incident angle and the reflected angle are both measured relative to the normal line, with zero degrees defined as parallel to the normal line, and positive angles measured clockwise from this reference point.