| Term | Definition |
|---|
| What does it mean when a light ray is reflected? | the light ray bounces off an object |
| What types of objects reflect light? | Shiny objects, mirrors, or white paper |
| What is specular reflection? | one ray of light hits a shiny surface and it creates a single reflected ray- one ray bounces off. When you look at the object it would be invisible. Each ray would bounce off in a single direction |
| What is diffuse reflection? | a ray of light hits a non-shiny surface and scatters in all directions. This is caused by roughness of a surface. You would see the object itself. |
| What is the law of reflection? | says that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.applies to any surface with specular reflection |
| Angle of incidence | angle between the incident ray and the normal line |
| Angle of Reflection | Angle between the reflected ray and the normal line. |
| How is reflection useful in transmitting data through light rays, like what is done with fiber optics? | Fiber optics technology uses glass fibers to carry information on laser beams , including internet data and telephone calls. |
| What does it mean when a light ray is refracted? | it is the bending of light rays. |
| what does n stand for? what does this value mean? | The ability of a material to bend rays of light is described by a value called the Index of Refraction (n). Refraction occurs when light rays cross a surface between two materials that have a different index of refraction. |
| If a light ray is traveling from high n to low n what will happen to the light ray? | It would bend away from the normal line. |
| If a light ray is traveling from low n to high n what will happen to the light ray? | It would bend towards the normal line. |
| what is total internal reflection? how does it "happen"? | when the angle of incidence increases so that light will not enter the medium, but will be refracted back to the original medium. |
| is the index of refraction the same for all colors of light? | the index of refraction for most materials varies by a small amount depending on the color of light. |
| what is the normal line? | the middle line perpendicular to the mirror |
| what types of objects refract light? | one index of refraction to another |
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