More on super-reflective surfaces.

[Joseph King]

So, I'm just going to suggest a circumstance, and leave it up for discussion. I recently read an interesting forum on super reflective material in which all energy is reflected (all theoretical, of course) and none of it is absorbed by the material. Now, say we construct a one way mirror where the other side acts as a window like in interrogation rooms. What would it look like from an observer's standpoint at different positions and with or without sources of light on either side of the material. Have at it!

 

[Drakkith]

It wouldn't be a one-way mirror if all the light was reflected, as the properties of the material would keep light from passing through from either side. Then it's just a really good mirror.

 

[DrZoidberg]

As Drakkith said, if you have a material that reflects part of the light and let's part of it pass through it is not super reflective.
But maybe you meant something else. Maybe a mirror/sheet of glass that let's all light pass that hits one side of the sheet but completely reflects all light that hits the other side. Such a material is not possible since it would violate thermodynamics.

 

[Bobbywhy]

So, I'm just going to suggest a circumstance, and leave it up for discussion. I recently read an interesting forum on super reflective material in which all energy is reflected (all theoretical, of course) and none of it is absorbed by the material. Now, say we construct a one way mirror where the other side acts as a window like in interrogation rooms. What would it look like from an observer's standpoint at different positions and with or without sources of light on either side of the material. Have at it!

Welcome here to Physics Forums!

When you describe reading an "interesting forum" about a "super reflective material" it is always useful if you post your reference for this source. Others can read that and then give better, more useful responses. Thank you.

As the others have already said, if a material reflects "all" the incident energy, then no light will enter the "observation room".

 

[sardar]

Thank you for bringing up this interesting topic on super-reflective surfaces. I would like to provide some insights and potential scenarios for the situation you have described.

Firstly, it is important to note that the concept of a fully reflective material, where all energy is reflected and none is absorbed, is purely theoretical and has not yet been achieved in reality. However, let's assume for the sake of discussion that such a material exists.

In the scenario you have suggested, where a one-way mirror is constructed using this super-reflective material, there are a few factors that would affect the appearance of the mirror from an observer's standpoint.

One factor to consider is the amount of light present on either side of the material. If there is a bright light source on one side and a dark room on the other, the observer would see a clear reflection of the bright side, similar to a regular mirror. However, if there is no light source on either side, the material would appear completely black as no light is being absorbed or reflected.

Another factor to consider is the angle of observation. If the observer is standing directly in front of the material, they would see a clear reflection of the bright side. However, if they are standing at an angle, they would see a distorted or blurred reflection, as the material would not be able to reflect all the light coming from the bright side.

Now, let's consider the scenario where there are light sources on both sides of the material. In this case, the observer would see a combination of reflections from both sides. For example, if the light source on one side is red and the other is blue, the observer may see a purple hue on the material.

In terms of the appearance of the material as a window, it would depend on the amount of light present on either side and the angle of observation. If the light on one side is significantly brighter than the other, the material would appear more like a regular window, with the brighter side being more visible. However, if the light on both sides is relatively equal, the material may appear more like a mirror, with both sides being reflected.

In conclusion, while the concept of a fully reflective material is intriguing, it is important to keep in mind that it is still theoretical and has not been achieved in reality. Therefore, the appearance and behavior of such a material in different scenarios can only be speculated at this point. Further research and experimentation would be necessary to fully understand