PASCO SE-8803 Discover Reflection Kit - Manual (Page 3)

012-09301A Discover Reflection Kit
3 ®
Suggested Activities
The Law of Reflection
Purpose:
Students will discover the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of
reflection. Virtual image formation will also be investigated.
Note: Before the lab, it may be necessary to define "Angle of Incidence" and "Angle of
Reflection."
Equipment Required:
• Plane mirror with stand
• Corkboard
• Colored pins
• Protractor
• Straight edge
• Pencil
Procedure:
1. Set up the apparatus as instructed in the "Equipment Setup" section.
2. Place a pin approximately 12 cm in front of the mirror and approximately 7 cm to the right
of center. Label this position "A."
3. Choose a point on the left side of the mirror
and label it "B." Draw an eye at this
position.
4. Position your eye behind the eye at position
"B" such that the image from pin "A" is in
line with the eye at position "B."
5. In order to see the image of pin "A," a light
ray has to leave pin "A" and reach your eye
at position "B."
6. Use a straight edge or ruler to draw the path
of the light ray as it leaves pin "A," reflects
off the mirror, and reaches your eye at
position "B."
7. Draw a dashed line perpendicular to the mirror where the ray reflects from the mirror. This
is called a normal line.