Light Reflection Ray Challenge
Control a light ray, test the law of reflection, solve eight classroom challenges, arrange ray diagram steps and become a Reflection Champion.
Three ideas every ray detective must know
Read these quick cards. They will help you solve the activities below.
Incident Ray
The ray of light travelling towards a reflecting surface is called the incident ray.
Reflected Ray
The ray that bounces away from the reflecting surface is called the reflected ray.
Normal Line
The normal is an imaginary line drawn at 90 degrees to the mirror at the point of incidence.
Move the ray and test the law
Drag the angle slider. Watch the reflected ray move by exactly the same amount.
Ray Control Panel
Angles are always measured from the normal line, not from the mirror.
Reflection Challenge Game
Select the best answer. Use the hint only when you really need it.
Reflection Champion
Arrange the ray diagram steps
Click the five cards in the correct order used to draw a reflection ray diagram.
Tap a card to reveal the answer
Use these cards for quick revision before a test.
Three question mini quiz
Choose one answer for each question, then check your score.
1. An incident ray makes an angle of 25° with the normal. What is the angle of reflection?
2. Which surface produces the clearest regular reflection?
3. From which line are the angles of incidence and reflection measured?
Light reflection FAQs
Reflection of light is the bouncing back of light into the same medium after it strikes a surface.
First, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. Second, the incident ray, reflected ray and normal lie in the same plane.
The normal gives a fixed perpendicular reference line, making the two reflection angles easy to compare accurately.
Regular reflection happens on smooth surfaces and can form clear images. Diffused reflection happens on rough surfaces and spreads light in many directions.
Reflection is used in mirrors, periscopes, vehicle reflectors, solar cookers, telescopes and many optical instruments.
