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Answers to Readers' Questions on Physical Science:

Light Snell's Law

The following 3 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.

List of first 10 items

• Is an image projected on a screen real or virtual?
• What is the angle of reflection?
• Tinted glass refection

Next 10

Is an image projected on a screen real or virtual?

Question

February 16, 2007

When a movie is projected onto a screen, we talk about keeping it "in focus".

Discuss this effect and whether the image we see on the screen is real or virtual.

MICHAEL - USA

13179

Answer

The movie projector lens focuses the image on the screen, thus making it a real image. The image you see in the mirror or through a concave lens requires the lens of your eye to focus the image on your retina. Thus it is a virtual image.

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What is the angle of reflection?

Question

March 8, 2006

how do you find the angle of reflection?

KC - Australia

10374

Answer

The angle of reflection is usually stated at the angle of the reflected beam with the perpendicular to the surface. But that is often hard to measure, so the angle with respect to the surface is sometimes used. It is good to state or draw which angle you are referring to.

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Tinted glass refection

Question

October 7, 2005

What happens to light striking a window perpendicular (not at an angle) that has a metallic tint applied to its inner surface. Is the light:

A. transmitted.
B. transmitted and refracted.
C. transmitted and reflected.
D. reflected.

Stephanie - USA

8453

Answer

Since the light is not an an angle, it is not refracted. Light from outside is transmitted through the glass but then refected at the metallic surface.

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