#Light Reflection: Your Ultimate Study Guide 💡

Hey there! Let's get you prepped for the AP Physics 2 exam with a deep dive into light reflection. We’ll break down everything from basic rays to specular and diffuse reflection, making sure you’re not just memorizing but understanding.

#Light as a Ray

#Light Ray Definition

• A light ray is a straight-line path that light travels in a specific direction. Think of it like a tiny arrow showing where light is headed. 📏
• It's always perpendicular to the wavefront of a light wave. This means the ray shows the direction of the wave's travel.
• We use light rays in geometric optics, where we can ignore the wave nature of light and focus on its path.

- Lasers are a great example of a source that produces a single, coherent, and monochromatic beam of light – essentially a light ray. - We'll explore the wave nature of lasers more in Unit 14. ### Ray Diagrams

• Ray diagrams are visual tools that show the path of light rays. They're super helpful for understanding how light behaves when it interacts with different materials.
• These diagrams illustrate light's trajectory before and after hitting a surface (like a mirror or lens).
• They are essential for analyzing reflection and refraction scenarios.

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Question:

1. A light ray is incident on a plane mirror at an angle of 30° with respect to the normal. What is the angle of reflection? (A) 15° (B) 30° (C) 60° (D) 90°

2. Which of the following best describes a light ray? (A) A wave that travels in a circle (B) A straight line path of light (C) A curved path of light (D) A wave that travels in a zig-zag pattern

Free Response Question:

A laser bea...