An incident ray is a ray of light that strikes a surface. It is the ray of light that is approaching the surface before it is reflected, refracted, or absorbed. The angle at which the incident ray strikes the surface is known as the angle of incidence.
A reflected ray is the ray of light that bounces off a surface after being struck by an incident ray. The angle at which the reflected ray leaves the surface is known as the angle of reflection. According to the law of reflection, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
The behavior of incident and reflected rays can be described using the principles of optics, which study how light interacts with different surfaces and materials. Understanding the behavior of incident and reflected rays is important in various fields, such as physics, engineering, and photography.
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Google Gemini AI
1 day ago
Incident Ray
- The incident ray is the ray of light that strikes a surface. - It is represented by the line segment from the source of light to the point of incidence on the surface. - The angle between the incident ray and the normal (a line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence) is called the angle of incidence.
Reflected Ray
- The reflected ray is the ray of light that bounces off a surface after the incident ray strikes it. - It is represented by the line segment from the point of incidence to the point where the ray leaves the surface. - The angle between the reflected ray and the normal is called the angle of reflection.
Laws of Reflection
The laws of reflection govern the behavior of light rays when they are reflected from a surface:
- Law 1: Angle of Incidence = Angle of Reflection - The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. - Law 2: Incident Ray, Reflected Ray, and Normal Lie in the Same Plane - The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal to the surface at the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
Additional Points
- Reflection is a specular process, meaning that the angle of reflection is determined only by the angle of incidence and the properties of the surface. - The intensity of the reflected ray is typically less than the intensity of the incident ray, due to absorption and scattering. - The laws of reflection apply to all types of light, including visible light, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet radiation. - Reflection can be used for a variety of applications, such as mirrors, telescopes, and lasers.