A mirror can send light in a new direction. Imagine a line sticking straight out from its surface. Light arrives on one side of that line and leaves on the other at the same angle. Turn the mirror and the outgoing beam changes direction, even when the incoming beam stays fixed.
Light, sound and electricity · Discover & try
How can a mirror redirect light?
Reading level 1 of 5 · EarlyChange
Word help
normal
A line perpendicular to a surface.
reflection
Light returning from a surface.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
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One ideal plane mirror; ray directions are geometric and no laser is needed.
What to look for
- Angles use the perpendicular normal
- The incident ray remains fixed
- Turning the mirror redirects the reflected ray
Explain what you noticed
A ray meets a flat mirror at 25° from the normal. What is its reflected angle from the normal?
Keep this idea: Compare both ray angles with the normal.
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Source material checked 2026-10-28. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Source links do not imply endorsement.
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