Total internal reflecting mirrors are preferred over plane mirrors bec...
When ever there is reflection on any surface there is refraction also beneath the surface.
The energy of the incident beam is partially reflected and partially absorbed.
Even a good mirror reflects nearly 80%of the incident light only.
At normal incidence (Incident perpendicular to the surface) there is no reflection and all the light rays pass through the surface.
When a ray passes through a denser medium and tries to enter a rarer medium and if the angle of incidence is more than the critical angle, we say there is total internal reflection.
The total here implies that there is no refraction at all. The entire ray is refracted.
Therefore when we use totally reflecting prisms, there is no energy is lost due to normal incidence from air to glass and there is TOTAL (no partial refraction) reflection inside the prism.
Thus the light is reflected almost 100% in totally reflecting prisms and hence they are preferred even though in costs high.
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Total internal reflecting mirrors are preferred over plane mirrors bec...
Total internal reflecting mirrors are preferred over plane mirrors because they do not absorb any light and do not produce ghost images.
1. Absorption of Light:
Total internal reflecting (TIR) mirrors are made of materials with high reflectivity, such as glass or plastic coated with a thin layer of metal. Unlike plane mirrors, TIR mirrors do not absorb any light. When light falls on a TIR mirror, it undergoes total internal reflection at the interface between the mirror and the surrounding medium. This means that all the incident light is reflected back, resulting in minimal loss of light energy. On the other hand, plane mirrors absorb a small amount of light, leading to some energy loss. Therefore, TIR mirrors are preferred when maximum reflection efficiency is desired.
2. Production of Sharp Images:
TIR mirrors are designed in such a way that light rays undergo multiple internal reflections before emerging from the mirror surface. This property allows TIR mirrors to produce sharp and well-defined images. In contrast, plane mirrors produce images that are not as sharp due to the presence of various imperfections, such as surface irregularities and slight distortions. TIR mirrors are commonly used in optical systems where high image quality is required, such as in telescopes, microscopes, and laser systems.
3. Absence of Ghost Images:
Ghost images are unwanted secondary images that can appear in optical systems due to reflections or scattering of light. Plane mirrors are more prone to producing ghost images compared to TIR mirrors. This is because plane mirrors reflect light at a single interface, while TIR mirrors utilize multiple internal reflections to achieve total reflection. The multiple internal reflections in TIR mirrors reduce the chance of ghost images by minimizing the amount of light that can escape or scatter within the mirror. As a result, TIR mirrors offer superior image quality by eliminating or significantly reducing ghost images.
Overall, total internal reflecting mirrors are preferred over plane mirrors because they do not absorb any light, produce sharp images, and do not produce ghost images. These features make TIR mirrors ideal for applications requiring high reflectivity and image quality, such as in optical instruments and systems.