Calculating Velocities After Reflection

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the velocity components of a particle after it reflects off a triangular surface. The particle's initial velocity is represented by Vt, with components Vx, Vy, and Vz. The triangle is defined by three points in 3D space: P1, P2, and P3. The normal vector to the surface is crucial for determining the reflection, and the participants express a desire to avoid trigonometric functions such as sine, cosine, and tangent in the calculations.

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  • Understanding of 3D vector mathematics
  • Knowledge of reflection principles in physics
  • Familiarity with normal vectors and their calculations
  • Basic skills in computational geometry
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  • Research how to calculate the normal vector of a triangle in 3D space
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Physicists, computer graphics developers, and anyone involved in simulations or modeling of particle dynamics and reflections in three-dimensional environments.

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So here's my problem... I have a particle traveling at velocity T, Vt, with components Velocity x, Velocity y, and Velocity z (3 dimensions).
This particle collides with a triangular surface. Each point of the triangle is known (x y and z for each point)
I would like to find the components of the velocity after the particle reflects off the triangle surface. (no velocity is lost so Vt remains the same)
Knowing these three points I found a vector that follows the normal angle off the surface.
You could take this vector and find the normal angle.

Known Variables:
Vt, Overall velocity
Vx, Vy, Vz, velocity components of Vt
P1, P2, P3, points of triangle (x,y,z)
Normal Vector off the surface (x,y and z components)

You could possibly find the normal angles for Z and XY, but if there's a way to do it without Sin, Cos, Tan, it would make things much easier.

Any help is appreciated as I've been stuck on this for a long time.
 
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You could try the homework section. They might be able to help you there.
 
Yeah I suppose I could. This isn't for homework, but oh well
 
Yeah, I would help you if I could, but I'm still confused on why you need any more information other than the angle of impact.
 

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