Properties of Light and Reflection

Properties of Light

• Light is a form of energy that travels via electromagnetic waves.

Laws of Reflection

• The first law of reflection states that the incident ray, the normal line at the point of incidence, and the reflected ray all lie in the same plane.
• The second law asserts that the angle of incidence (i) is equal to the angle of reflection (r).

Reflection Concepts

• Reflection of light refers to the bouncing of light rays off a surface.

Types of Images

• A virtual image is formed by the apparent intersection of light rays and cannot be captured on a screen.
• A real image is created by the actual intersection of light rays and can be displayed on a screen.

Image Formation in Concave Mirrors

• To produce a real image in a concave mirror, the object must be placed outside the focal point.
• For an image the same size as the object, the object should be placed at the center of curvature.

Concave Mirror Formula

• In the formula for concave mirrors:
  • u = distance from the object to the mirror's pole
  • v = distance from the image to the mirror's pole
  • f = focal length

Uses of Convex Mirrors

• Common applications include:
  • Door mirrors in cars
  • Mirrors at concealed entrances for traffic observation
  • Safety mirrors in supermarkets

Advantages of Convex Mirrors

• Convex mirrors provide a wider field of vision compared to flat mirrors, making them ideal for vehicle side mirrors.

Types of Reflection

• Diffuse reflection involves light scattering off rough surfaces such as books or tables.
• Regular reflection occurs when light reflects off smooth surfaces, like mirrors.

Wave Phenomena

• The five phenomena of waves are:
  • Reflection
  • Refraction
  • Diffraction
  • Interference
  • Polarization

Focal Length Equation

• The formula for the focal length of spherical mirrors is given by:
  • 1/f = 1/u + 1/v
• Here, v represents the distance from the mirror to the image.

Magnification

• Magnification can be calculated as the ratio of image distance to object distance or the ratio of image height to object height.