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The bouncing back of light from a smooth, shiny surface is called?
A. Refraction
B. Reflection
C. Diffraction
D. Absorption
Correct Answer Is Option = Reflection
Notes / Explanation
The bouncing back of light from a smooth, shiny surface is called reflection, and it is one of the most familiar and important properties of light, being the reason that we are able to see most of the objects around us and the reason that mirrors work. Light travels in straight lines, and when a beam of light strikes a surface, part of it may bounce back from the surface rather than passing through it or being absorbed by it, and this bouncing back of the light is what is meant by reflection. The way in which light is reflected depends greatly on the nature of the surface. When light falls on a very smooth and shiny surface, such as a mirror or the calm surface of still water, it is reflected in a regular and orderly way, so that the rays of light bounce off in a definite direction, and this kind of reflection produces a clear image, which is why we can see our own reflection in a mirror. When light falls on a rough or dull surface, on the other hand, it is scattered in many different directions, and this scattered reflection does not produce a clear image but is the reason that we are able to see ordinary objects, because the light that falls on them is reflected in all directions, some of it reaching our eyes. There is a simple and precise rule that governs the reflection of light from a smooth surface, which relates the direction in which the light arrives at the surface to the direction in which it bounces off, and this rule allows the behaviour of reflected light to be predicted and is the basis for the design of mirrors and other optical devices. Reflection has many important applications. Mirrors, which rely on reflection, are used for countless purposes in daily life and in scientific instruments, and the reflection of light is essential to the working of many devices, including certain kinds of telescopes and other instruments that use mirrors to gather and direct light. Understanding reflection is fundamental to the study of light and vision. For PPSC and other competitive examinations, the key points to remember are that the bouncing back of light from a surface is called reflection, that reflection from a smooth shiny surface is regular and produces a clear image as in a mirror, that reflection from a rough surface is scattered and allows us to see ordinary objects, and that reflection follows a definite rule and is used in mirrors and many optical instruments.
