Light and Reflection: Law of Reflection Investigation
Lab partner names:___________________________________________
Instructions 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Place your mirror on the dashed line.
Place the laser so that the beam follows the incident ray.
Shine the light toward the mirror.
Mark a point on the laser’s reflected ray.
Remove the laser and the mirror.
Use your straightedge to connect the point to the vertex.
Use the protractor to measure the angle between the normal line
and the reflected ray.
8. Fill in the blank with the best answer.
The angle between the normal line
and the incident ray is 35º.
nt
ide
Inc
Normal line
1
The angle between the normal line
and the reflected ray is ______º.
ra
y
a. 56º
c. 15º
The angle between the normal line
and the incident ray is 72º.
Normal line
2
The angle between the normal line
and the reflected ray is ______º.
a. 52º
e
Incid
Light and Reflection
b. 35º
nt ra
b. 27º
c. 72º
y
1
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On this page, before you use your mirror and laser to mark the reflected
ray, measure the incident angle and fill in the best answer.
The angle between the normal line
and the incident ray is ______º.
Normal line
3
a. 45º
a. 45º
b. 55º
c. 65º
The angle between the normal line
and the incident ray is ______º.
Incid
ent ra
Normal line
4
a. 14º
b. 31º
c. 58º
y
The angle between the normal line
and the reflected ray is ______º.
a. 14º
Light and Reflection
c. 65º
The angle between the normal line
and the reflected ray is ______º.
ay
tr
n
ide
c
In
5
b. 55º
b. 31º
c. 58º
Scientists use the Law of Reflection to explain what happens when a light
ray is reflected off of a flat mirror. Look back at your angle measurements.
Check for patterns. With your partner, come up with a rule to explain your
findings. Write a rough draft here, and then write your rule neatly on the
Law of Reflection Definition poster.
2
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