Mission RM4 Regular vs. Diffuse Reflection
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Hold down the T key for 3 seconds to activate the audio accessibility mode, at which point you can click the K key to pause and resume audio. Useful for the Check Your Understanding and See Answers.
The diagrams show a microscopic view of light rays reflecting off a surface. Which one of the diagrams best depicts the phenomenon of diffuse reflection?
Diffuse Reflection:
Diffuse reflection occurs when a beam of light (a collection of several individual light rays) reflects off a rough surface. Each individual light ray within the beam approaches the surface parallel to each other. Upon reflection, the individual light rays within the original beam scatter (or diffuse) in different directions.
Diffuse reflection occurs when a beam of light (a collection of several individual light rays) reflects off a rough surface. Each individual light ray within the beam approaches the surface parallel to each other. Upon reflection, the individual light rays within the original beam scatter (or diffuse) in different directions.
When a collection of parallel light rays reflect off a rough surface, the individual light rays within the beam become diffused. The beam no longer exists after reflection. Rather than having a collection of parallel light rays, there is a collection of light rays scattered in numerous directions. This phenomenon of diffuse reflection would not be expected for smooth surfaces. When reflecting off of smooth surfaces, the individual light rays within the beam approach traveling parallel to each other and remain parallel after reflection.
