Angle of reflection

The angle of reflection measures the angle at which reflected light bounces off a surface.

  • The angle of reflection is measured between a ray of light which has been reflected off a surface and an imaginary line called the normal.
  • In optics, the normal is a line drawn on a ray diagram perpendicular to (at 900 to), the boundary between two media.
  • If the boundary between two media is curved then the normal is drawn perpendicular to the boundary.
About the laws of reflection

When light reflects off a surface or object it always behaves predictably and according to three rules (or laws).

  • The three laws of reflection are:
    • The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal to a surface all lie on the same plane.
    • The angle of the incident ray is equal to the angle which the reflected ray makes with the normal.
    • The incident ray and the reflected ray appear on opposite sides of the normal.
Related diagrams

Each diagram below can be viewed on its own page with a full explanation.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_(physics)

The angle of reflection measures the angle at which reflected light bounces off a surface.

  • The angle of reflection is measured between a ray of light which has been reflected off a surface and an imaginary line called the normal.
  • In optics, the normal is a line drawn on a ray diagram perpendicular to, so at a right angle to (900), to the boundary between two media.
  • If the boundary between the media is curved then the normal is drawn perpendicular to the boundary.