Thursday, July 21, 2011
Unit 10: Electromagnetic Waves, Color, and Light Properties
Light rays can create two different kind of reflections, specular (regular) and diffuse. Light rays can change directions from hitting surfaces, but they are always straight lines. A specular reflection is when a light ray hits a smooth, reflective surface like mirrors or such. Diffuse reflections happen when a light ray hits a bumpy, scratchy surface such as screens or doors. Specular reflections reflect the light rays following the rule of the reflection with the light rays being the same angle as the initial light ray to the normal on the opposite side of the normal. Diffuse reflections don't follow these rules and with these bumpy surfaces sometimes don't even reflect off the light rays. That's why projectors shine their light onto screens with diffuse surfaces so it doesn't reflect off the screen and is able to show what is to be seen.
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