A light ray incident on a plane mirror gets reflected from it. Another...
Introduction
When a light ray is incident on a plane mirror, it gets reflected according to the law of reflection. If this reflected ray is incident on another plane mirror in such a way that the reflected ray from the first mirror is perpendicular to the incident ray on the first mirror, we can determine the angle between the two mirrors.
Explanation
To understand the angle between the two mirrors, we need to consider the properties of reflection.
1. Law of Reflection:
According to the law of reflection, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. This means that the incident ray and the reflected ray are on opposite sides of the normal and they make equal angles with the normal.
2. Angle of Incidence and Angle of Reflection:
The angle of incidence is the angle between the incident ray and the normal, while the angle of reflection is the angle between the reflected ray and the normal.
3. Perpendicular Reflection:
In the given scenario, the reflected ray from the first mirror travels perpendicular to the incident ray on the first mirror. This implies that the angle of reflection from the first mirror is 90 degrees.
4. Angle between the Mirrors:
Since the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection are equal, and the angle of reflection from the first mirror is 90 degrees, the incident ray on the first mirror must also be at 90 degrees to the normal. Therefore, the angle between the two mirrors is also 90 degrees.
Conclusion
In summary, when the reflected ray from a plane mirror is incident on another plane mirror in such a way that it travels perpendicular to the incident ray on the first mirror, the angle between the two mirrors is 90 degrees. This can be understood by considering the properties of reflection, specifically the law of reflection and the angles of incidence and reflection.