Why do modern mirrors reflect light better than the first mirrors?

Answer 1

Because metallic surfaces are good conductors of electricity. Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation and so interacts with a metallic surface in a way which it does not with an insulating surface like wood. The physics is moderately complex but the result is that an electromagnetic wave cannot penetrate a metal more than a very small distance before being bounced back out.

Its also why a mobile phone won't work in a metal walled room - radio waves are also electromagnetic and just bounce of the walls.

You will also find that other non-conducting materials, no matter how smooth or polished, do not reflect light as well as a polished metal surface. The only exception to this is total internal reflection where light passing from an optically dense material (such as glass) to a less dense material (such as air) will be totally reflected back into the glass if it is incident on the surface at an angle less than the critical angle

Answer 2

Modern mirrors have a thin layer of highly reflective material like silver or aluminum, which provides a more efficient reflection of light compared to earlier mirrors that used materials with lower reflectivity. Additionally, advancements in mirror production have improved the smoothness and quality of mirror surfaces, further enhancing their ability to reflect light.

Answer 3

because the first mirrors were obcieon