Lesson 2 & Reflection and Mirrors

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to reflection, mirrors, and image properties as discussed in the lecture.

Reflection

The property of light that occurs when light bounces back as it hits a surface.

Law of Reflection

States that the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence.

Mirror

A reflective surface that bounces light off to produce an image.

Plane Mirror

A flat, highly polished surface that reflects light to form a virtual image.

Concave Mirror

A mirror that reflects light from its inner surface, also known as a converging mirror.

Convex Mirror

A mirror that bulges outward, reflecting light and creating a virtual image that is reduced in size.

Virtual Image

An image formed where light does not actually reach and appears behind the mirror.

Real Image

An image formed by light rays that actually converge and can be projected on a screen.

Principal Axis

A line that passes through the center of a spherical mirror and the vertex.

Focal Point

The point where light rays converge or appear to diverge.

Specular Reflection

Reflection from a smooth surface that results in a clear image.

Diffuse Reflection

Reflection from a rough surface that scatters light in many directions.

Magnification

The ratio of the height of the image to the height of the object.

Characteristics of a Plane Mirror

Produces upright, same size, and laterally inverted virtual images.

Ray Diagram

A representation of the paths light can take from an object to an observer.

Angle of Incidence

The angle formed between the incident ray and the normal at the surface.

Angle of Reflection

The angle formed between the reflected ray and the normal at the surface.

Center of Curvature

The center of the sphere from which a spherical mirror is derived.

Radius of Curvature

The distance from the vertex to the center of curvature of a mirror.