I am wondering about rotation symetry etc
2007-10-16 10:01:12 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Depends on if the mirror is made with photon eaters, photon splitters, excitement aggravators, and more. Not quite so simple an issue as you may think. Each has its own effect on the photon and what exactly comes back from the mirror for the "reflection".
2007-10-16 10:05:39 · answer #1 · answered by MrKnowItAll 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If the photon were absorbed and re-emitted, it wouldn't be instantaneous, and it would be omnidirectional. The photon is the quantum of an electromagnetic wave. When an EM wave encounters a conductor, the electric field in the conductor must be zero, so the wave induces a current in the conductor, and that current generates another electromagnetic wave at the surface with the same magnetic polarity but the opposite electric polarity. That's the reflected wave. The superposition of those two waves at the surface must have zero electric field at the surface. The fact that it's just a single quantum doesn't change this.
2007-10-16 13:15:16 · answer #2 · answered by Frank N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure that the particle properties of light can be applied in a meaningful sense to the reflection phenomenon, i think that the wave model has to be used but I am not sure.. although I thought Steve B's answer was pretty good, and thats how I would have said it worked... If you're really interested try finding a copy of QED by Richard P Feynman, its a "popular science" book that explains the current theory of the interactions of light and matter (Quantum electrodynamics), although its very light on the maths the explanantions are very good, especially the one about why the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection... (Fermat's principle of least time)
2007-10-16 10:47:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Off the top of my head, I would guess the photon is absorbed by an electron in a metallic atom which causes the electron to increase it's energy state == and instantaneously drop back to the previous energy state by emitting a photon in the exact reverse direction of the one it received ..
... however this would seem extremely Newtonian .. exactly HOW DOES a mirror operate in these days of Quantum Theory ?
2007-10-16 10:18:33 · answer #4 · answered by Steve B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Photons that hit surfaces such as mirrors bounce off of the surface at the same angle at which they hit the object. The scientific term for this phenomenon is reflection.
2007-10-16 10:08:00 · answer #5 · answered by bartsteruk 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
when you take a photo of or in the mirror the reflection of the flash bounces back and causes a huge strike of light to form on the picture... how do i know this one i like pictures and 2 i went to school i'm 12 duhhhhh
2007-10-16 10:06:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The reflection caues everything to reflex backwards
2007-10-16 10:03:56 · answer #7 · answered by JOHN 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it doesnt do anything...in reality we think it does something...but in theory its all made into nonsence...check it out at wikipedia
2007-10-16 11:02:23 · answer #8 · answered by S D 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
everything is opposite
2007-10-16 10:03:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it checks its hair?
2007-10-16 10:03:43 · answer #10 · answered by mraandmisse 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋