Intro to Light Reflection

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Question 1: Would we expect polished metal to make a diffuse reflection?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. It would make a specular reflection.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Is a plane mirror shaped like the inside of a ball?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. It’s shaped like a flat piece of paper.

Is a virtual image created by a specular reflection?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. When you look in a mirror, you’re seeing your virtual image. The mirror makes specular reflections.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Is the “incident ray” the name of the light ray that leaves the incidence point?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. The incident ray is the ray that goes towards the incidence point. The reflected ray goes away from the incidence point.   

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

According to the law of reflection, does the angle of incidence equal the angle of reflection?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. This fact is a key part for helping us draw the reflected ray.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

According to the law of reflection, is the plane that contains the incident and reflected ray parallel to the reflective plane?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

No. Those planes are perpendicular.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Is a virtual image located on a line that also contains the object but runs perpendicular to the reflective plane?  

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. And, both the object and the virtual image of the object are the same distance from the reflective plane but on opposite side of that reflective plane.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Is total internal reflection a phenomenon used by fiber-optic cables?

• No

• Yes

Answer explanation

Yes. This is how light stays inside the cables despite going for long distances.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2