The process through which light rays fall on the opaque surface and get bounced back is known as a reflection of light.
Types of Reflection
(i)Regular Reflection
(ii)Irregular Reflection
(i)Regular Reflection
Definition
“When a beam of parallel light rays is incident on a plane surface, the reflected rays will also bounce back to be parallel. This type of reflection is called Regular Reflection.”
Example
In the case of spherical mirrors with smooth surfaces, we can see the images of reflection either virtually or really. That is, the images produced by curved mirrors can be either real or, virtual.
The plane mirrors with a smooth surface produce this type of reflection. The images produced by plane mirrors are always virtual, that is they cannot be collected on a screen.
(ii)Irregular or diffuse Reflection
Definition
“When a beam of parallel light rays is incident on a uneven surface, the reflected rays scatter in different directions. This type of reflection is called irregular or diffuse reflection.”
Example
natural surfaces, unlike mirrors, are rough on the scale of the wavelength of light, and parallel incident light rays are irregularly or diffusely reflected in many different directions. Hence, diffuse reflection helps in seeing objects and is responsible for the ability to see most illuminated surfaces from any position.