What does a mirror or any shinny object do to light?
Is the answer reflect
Yes, the answer is reflect. When light falls onto a mirror or any shiny object, it bounces off the surface at the same angle it hit the surface. This phenomenon is known as reflection. To understand this, we need to consider the behavior of light when it encounters a smooth surface.
When light waves hit a smooth surface, such as a mirror or a shiny object, they interact with the atoms on the surface. These atoms have electrons, which can interact with the incoming light waves. As the light waves interact with the electrons, they are absorbed by the electrons and then re-emitted. This re-emitted light follows the law of reflection, which states that the angle of incidence (the angle at which the light hits the surface) is equal to the angle of reflection (the angle at which the light bounces off the surface).
Therefore, when light hits a mirror or any shiny object, it undergoes reflection, which means it bounces off the surface, preserving its angle of incidence. This property allows mirrors to form images by reflecting light and enables us to see our reflection when we look into them.