Laws of Reflection

Laws of Reflection
• From the Activity you performed, when you

shine an incident light ray at a plane mirror, the
light is reflected off the mirror and forms a
reflected ray.
• This behaviour leads to the 2 laws of reflection
1. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of
reflection
2. The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the
normal all lie in the same plane.
1
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
2
3
Reflecting Light Off Surfaces
When a series of parallel incident rays strike a flat
reflective surface
• the incidence angles are all identical
• angle of reflection will also be identical
Incident rays reflected rays
4
If parallel incident rays were directed at an irregular
surface, they will have different incidence angles.
The reflected rays will be reflected in many directions.
This is known as diffuse reflection
Incident rays Reflected rays
5
Reflection and Dyslexia
People with dyslexia have difficulty reading print

• complain about the glare off white paper
• there is too much reflected light
• condition can be helped by the use of coloured
filtered glasses
6
Using Light Rays to Locate an Image
Light rays and the laws of reflection

help determine how and where an
image is formed in a plane mirror.
REFLECTION is the bouncing

back of light rays from a surface
7
We all know that light travels in a straight line.
When your eyes detect reflected light from plane

mirrors, your brain projects the light rays back in a
straight line.
8
Types of Images
Real Images- mirrors can produce images that can

be projected on a screen. A real image is ALWAYS
inverted and appears in front of the mirror.
9
Virtual Image- mirrors can also produce images that
cannot be projected on a screen. A virtual image is
ALWAYS upright and appears behind the mirror.
10
Locating images in a Plane Mirror
reflected
mirror
incident
object
Image of object
11
Locating Images in a Plane Mirror
• From the top of the object
draw 2 incident rays
• From mirror draw 2
reflected rays
• extend reflected rays
behind mirror
• where the extended lines
cross, behind the mirror,
the image forms
• repeat above steps for
bottom of object
12
Is there any easier way? Of course...
Draw line & measure Repeat lines behind mirror
2cm 2cm
object
3.5cm 3.5cm
13
mirror
• From top of object,

draw a line 2 cm
perpendicular to mirror
(along normal)
• measure the distance of 3.2 cm
this line and extend the

line, the same distance,
2 cm
behind the mirror
• repeat this step from the
bottom of the object
for complicated objects,
draw more than two lines
14
Steps for drawing Plane Mirror Ray
Diagrams:
• 1. A ray that strikes perpendicular to the mirror
surface, reflects perpendicular to the mirror. The
reflected ray is extended beyond the mirror.
• 2. A ray that strikes the mirror at any angle reflects so

the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
The reflected ray is extended beyond the mirror.
15
Ray Diagram Using 2 Points:
Perpendicular ray
Reflected
ray
Incident
ray
16
• Example:
– Let’s draw the letter P together on the board
P ?
17
Lets Practice!!
• Using the information provided, draw these
2 images using the principles of reflection
off a PLANE MIRROR.
• Use at least 3 points off of the object.
18
Types of Mirrors
1. Plane Mirror- a flat mirror that reflects light
rays in the same way that they approach the
mirror.
2. Concave Mirror- a converging mirror where

light rays that strike the mirror surface are
reflected so they converge or “come together”,
at a point.
19
3. Convex Mirrors- a diverging mirror where light
rays that strike the mirror surface are reflected
so that they diverge, or “go apart” and they
never come to a point.
20
S.A.L.T
• SALT is used to describe images formed by
mirrors.
1. S- Size: compared to original object is it same
size, smaller or bigger?
2. A- Attitude: which way the image is oriented
compared to the original object (upright or
inverted).
3. L- Location: location of the image (in front or
behind the mirror).
4. T- Type: is the image a real image or virtual
image?
21
PLANE MIRRORS
• Characteristics of a plane mirror image:
1. Object size= Image Size

2. Object distance from mirror= image distance
from mirror
3. Attitude (orientation) is ALWAYS upright
4. ALWAYS forms a virtual image
5. Image is reversed- left to right
22
• The image in a plane mirror appears to be
backwards compared to how we view the object
directly.
• This is why the word on the front of an

AMBULANCE is written backwards- so it can be
read when seen in a rear-view mirror.
AMBULANCE
23
References
• kilby.sac.on.ca/faculty/gbrennagh
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Laws of Reflection

• From the Activity you performed, when you

Incident ray Reflected ray

The reflected rays will be reflected in many directions.

This is known as diffuse reflection

Incident rays Reflected rays

People with dyslexia have difficulty reading print

Light rays and the laws of reflection

REFLECTION is the bouncing

When your eyes detect reflected light from plane

Real Images- mirrors can produce images that can

• From top of object,

this line and extend the

• 2. A ray that strikes the mirror at any angle reflects so

2. Concave Mirror- a converging mirror where

1. Object size= Image Size

• This is why the word on the front of an

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