How do mirrors work?

Answer 1

The back of a piece of glass is coated with a highly reflective material. The light from objects are directly reflected back. Depending on the angle of the glass, the light can be reflected back at a greater than (convex mirror) or less than (concave mirror) 90 degree angle.

Answer 2

A mirror is generally a very flat piece of glass (transparent) with the one sided covered by a reflective uncolored material. Just like any smooth flat surface, mirros will reflect light. You can see glare on a reflective computer monitor, you can see your reflection in the water because smooth surfaces allow light to bounce (reflect).

While a piece of glass would allow most of the light through it, the material behind it is opaque preventing any light from passing. It is also highly reflective so that little to no light is absorbed. The combination creates a near perfect reflection of the light waves.

Why do mirrors require glass at all? The glass on top helps prevent damage to the reflective coating behind it without hindering the light waves that would pass through.

Answer 3

Mirrors are glass with a silver paint on the back. The light reflected off an object goes into the mirror and reflects off the back. Objects appear to be as far behind the mirror as they are in front. The angle that light goes in at(angle of incidence) is equal to the angle it reflects back at.

Answer 4

The silver coating on a mirror is highly conductive at optical wavelengths, so much more energy is reflected off the mirror than transmitted through (since infinite conductivity does not exist, you actually can't get total reflection, but you can get close).
In general, you may have noticed how polished metals are shiny.

Answer 5

the extremely smooth surface causes light to be reflected, not absorbed. therefore the image is reflected and you can look at your beautiful face!

Answer 6

i'm not sure, but i know it has to do with light being reflected.... thats a really good question!