Light is a kind of electromagnetic radiation. It is made up of vibrations between a certain group of frequencies. When light is given off from a source it spreads out over a larger area. Scientists are still dumbfounded by exactly what light is.
When light hits a smooth or polished surface it "bounces" off at the same angle that it hit. Reflecting telescopes are made of concave mirrors and they have helped astronomers chart the universe because the mirrors interact with each other to magnify what is being observed.
Refraction is when light bends as it goes through glass, water and other transparent objects that are denser than air. A prism is an instrument that spreads out a ray of light into the color spectrum. A lens is another instrument that uses the light refraction, but lenses are put to more practical uses (I'm not saying that a mirror isn't practical enough.).
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Welcome to the wonderful world of light, including the refraction
and reflection of light. Refraction is the bending of light when it travels
through a denser, or thicker material, such as water. Reflection is
a bit different though; when light hits a smooth or polished surface it
"bounces" off the surface at almost the same angle (Depending on how flat the surface is.). But before we get onto that, lets talk about light and exactly what it is.
Light is a kind of electromagnetic radiation, which means, that they are magnetic waves and particles which are caused by electricity. Light consists of very fast oscillations at a certain group of frequencies, that can be detected by the human eye. When light vibrates at different frequencies the eye sees different colors.
When light is emitted, or given off, from a source such as the sun, it moves in straight lines, and starts to filter out into a broader area as it travels farther. If it is interrupted by an object it wi...