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What is the angle of reflection when a beam of light strikes a curved mirror and has an angle of incidence of 40 degrees?
The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. Always.
If the surface is curved, this is still true.
Now for some caveats.
1. If the "beam" has zero width, then there really is no complication. Measure angles relative to the line perpendicular to the surface and in the plane of incidence at the point the beam strikes the surface and everything works out perfectly.
2. If the beam has a finite width, then everything still works out, but the beam strikes the surface at more than one point and the reflected beam goes away from the surface at more than one point but at each point, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, but the angle of incidence is different at each point on the curved surface. Still, at each point, one measures from the perpendicular to the surface at that point, just as described above.
Some more technical stuff.
We may say a beam has zero width if the width of the beam is very much smaller than the radius of curvature of the surface measured at the place where it strikes the surface.
Under any circumstances, the beam reflected from a curved surface will spread, i.e. be dispersed at a range of angles relative to the incoming beam and that range depends on the radius of curvature of the reflecting surface. As mentioned above, this is small if the beam is narrow, but if you are observing reflection far enough from the reflecting surface, one can observe the spread.
All this assumes "ray optics" where the sizes of the beam diameter and the radius of curvature are large compared to the wavelength of the light. It all gets more complicated otherwise.
What else can I help you with?
Are the laws of reflection applicable to plane surfaces also valid for curved surfaces?
Yes, the laws of reflection are applicable to curved surfaces as well. The angle of incidence is still equal to the angle of reflection, but both angles are measured with respect to the normal at the point of incidence on the curved surface.
Does curved mirror follow the law of reflection?
Yes, curved mirrors follow the law of reflection. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection at any point on the mirror's surface.
Does the law of reflection apply to curved and flat mirrors?
The law of reflection is valid for any ray of light. So it is also valid for curved and flat surfaces. For curved surfaces, the normal is taken as the normal to the tangent of the point where the light ray hits the surface.
What are the necessary conditions for a surface to give an accurate reflection in the experiment of the laws of reflection?
The surface should be smooth and flat to give an accurate reflection in the laws of reflection experiment. A rough or curved surface may distort the reflection, making it difficult to observe and verify the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. Additionally, the surface should be clean and free from any dirt or smudges that could interfere with the reflection.
What are the four principal rays of curved mirror?
The four principal rays of a curved mirror are: the ray parallel to the principal axis that reflects through the focal point after reflection, the ray that passes through the focal point before reflection and becomes parallel to the principal axis after reflection, the ray that passes through the center of curvature and reflects back along the same path, and the ray that strikes the mirror at the center of curvature, reflecting back along the same path.
Are the laws of reflection applicable to plane surfaces also valid for curved surfaces?
Yes, the laws of reflection are applicable to curved surfaces as well. The angle of incidence is still equal to the angle of reflection, but both angles are measured with respect to the normal at the point of incidence on the curved surface.
Does curved mirror follow the law of reflection?
Yes, curved mirrors follow the law of reflection. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection at any point on the mirror's surface.
Why does the angle of incidence equal the angle of reflection in the case of curved mirrors?
because that's the rule. angle of incident ALWAYS = angle of reflection.
Does the law of reflection apply to curved and flat mirrors?
The law of reflection is valid for any ray of light. So it is also valid for curved and flat surfaces. For curved surfaces, the normal is taken as the normal to the tangent of the point where the light ray hits the surface.
What is true about the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection for curved mirrors?
Those angles are equal at the point where a ray of light hits the mirror,regardless of the shape of the mirror.
Is angle of incidence always equal to angle of reflection?
Yes. Although it may not seem like it when the surface is curved, the angles are taken in respect to the "tangent" (derivative) to the curve.
Where would a light ray go if it hit a curved mirror?
Whatever the shape of the mirror the angle of reflection equals the angle if incidence of the ray at the point where the ray hits.
What are the necessary conditions for a surface to give an accurate reflection in the experiment of the laws of reflection?
The surface should be smooth and flat to give an accurate reflection in the laws of reflection experiment. A rough or curved surface may distort the reflection, making it difficult to observe and verify the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. Additionally, the surface should be clean and free from any dirt or smudges that could interfere with the reflection.
What are the four principal rays of curved mirror?
The four principal rays of a curved mirror are: the ray parallel to the principal axis that reflects through the focal point after reflection, the ray that passes through the focal point before reflection and becomes parallel to the principal axis after reflection, the ray that passes through the center of curvature and reflects back along the same path, and the ray that strikes the mirror at the center of curvature, reflecting back along the same path.
Does reflection from an irregular surface obey the law of refraction?
Yes. The angle of reflection = the angle of incidence. This is where pictures of ray traces (see the link below) come in very handy, keeping in mind that a ray trace is a very small (the magical physics *very small*) portion of the light that is falling on the mirror at a very small period of time. It works easiest for curved mirrors if the mirror has the reflective surface on the front (where the light is coming from) so we don't have to play with the refractive equations of the intermediate media. The mathematics of the angle of incidence and reflection is fairly easy for linear equation surfaces, like shperical, parabolic and hyperbolic, but gets a little more involved for nonlinear surfaces (like wrinkled tin foil).
Is a curved surface or a straight surface better for reflection?
Neither, it depends on what you are trying to accomplish.
Why are mirrors often slightly curved?
Mirrors are often slightly curved to prevent distorting the reflection of objects, known as "fun-house" effect. The slight curvature helps to maintain a more accurate reflection across the entire surface of the mirror. Additionally, curved mirrors can also help to improve the field of view for the observer.
