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Why is aluminum reflective?

Updated: 8/9/2023
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13y ago

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Aluminum can reflect up to 97% of light that falls upon it when highly polished, but how does it do this? Reflections occur when light hitting a material provides enough energy for an electron to move to an excited state, from where it emits a photon of light upon returning to its ground state. In aluminum there are many electrons that are free to easily become "excited" like this, this makes it an extremely good reflector.

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13y ago
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13y ago

Because it is shiny and inexpensive. Often it is plated with chrome to increase the reflection.

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12y ago

It is used because it is shiny and inexpensive. This also played with chrome to increase reflection.

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12y ago

Its shiny

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Q: Why is aluminum reflective?
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