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Physicsissuef
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what happens with the atoms, while there is reflection of light? What happens with the electrons or protons, are they reflecting the light and how?
Astronuc said:Light interacts with atomic electrons, not the nucleus where the protons and neutrons reside.
The photons are simply redirected (scattered or reflected) and the atom remains stationary (more or less) since the momentum of the photon is very small and the mass of the atom is very large.
ZapperZ said:Take note that "reflection of light" that most people are familiar with occurs with a typical mirror, i.e. a metallic surface. This is a "solid", and also a conductor. Lesson to learn when something has formed into a solid:
1. The "atoms" no longer play a major role in the bulk behavior of a solid. It has lost most of its individual identity (example: graphite and diamond. Both made up of carbon atoms, yet they each have such different properties as a solid). So when we are dealing with a solid, we need to consider the collective behavior, not the properties of individual atoms. (I know I've said this a million times already, if not more. Read the FAQ related to light transport in a medium.)
2. A metal or conductor has bands, and in this case, what is relevant is the conduction band. These "free" electrons plays the most important role in the reflection of light (at least in the visible range).
Zz.
GT1 said:(and where can I find this FAQ?)
wikipedia said:The law of reflection arises from diffraction of a plane wave (with small wavelength) on a flat boundary: when the boundary size is much larger than the wavelength then electrons of the boundary are seen oscillating exactly in phase only from one direction — the specular direction. If a mirror becomes very small (comparable to the wavelength), the law of reflection no longer holds and the behaviour of light is more complicated.
Reflection of light is the phenomenon in which light bounces off a surface and changes direction. This occurs when light waves hit a smooth surface, such as a mirror, and bounce back at the same angle as they entered.
Atoms are responsible for the reflection of light because they absorb and re-emit the photons of light that hit them. The arrangement of atoms in a surface determines how light will reflect off of it, which is why different materials have different levels of reflectivity.
During reflection of light, the atoms in a surface are not physically altered or moved. Instead, they absorb and re-emit the photons of light that hit them, causing the light to change direction and appear as if it is coming from a different angle. The atoms themselves remain in the same position.
Yes, all materials have the ability to reflect light to some degree. However, different materials have different levels of reflectivity based on their atomic structure and composition. For example, metals are highly reflective because their atoms are arranged in a way that allows for efficient reflection of light.
Yes, the reflection of light is a reversible process. This means that the light waves that are reflected off of a surface can be absorbed and re-emitted back in the same direction, effectively reversing the reflection. However, this requires the surface to have a high level of reflectivity and be positioned at the correct angle for the reflection to occur.