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Light Reflection Definition

Light reflection occurs when light waves bounce off matter, changing direction. For example, light reflects from mirrors at equal angles.

View Lesson on Wave Reflection, Absorption & Transmittance
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Wave Reflection, Absorption & Transmittance

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Ghost crystals become invisible in water, showing no reflection.
  • When white light hits a leaf, all visible colors are absorbed except green, which is reflected onto your eyes.
  • Light waves can travel through empty space, but sound waves cannot.

Why Do We Need To Know About Light Reflection

When we learn about how light reflects off surfaces, we can use this knowledge to work with light in many useful ways. This is important for lots of jobs and industries. For example, understanding light reflection helps us make solar panels that can turn sunlight into electricity. This is necessary for creating cleaner energy and moving away from using oil and coal.

This idea is also used in making sunglasses that keep bright light out of our eyes by reflecting it away. It’s important for making mirrors too, which are used in many fields like science, engineering to design better equipment, and even in fashion for creating sunglasses that protect our eyes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a sound wave different from a light wave?
Sound waves needs to travel through matter, but light does not need to travel through matter.
What happens when light is shined on an object?
Light can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted through an object, depending on the objectā€™s materials and the wavelength of light.
What properties do all waves have?
All waves have amplitude, wavelength, and frequency.
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