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angle of reflection
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Law of reflection diagram showing an incident ray and reflected ray meeting a flat surface at equal angles on either side of a dashed line normal to the surface, theta 1 equals theta 2. Two diagrams compare light reflection: the top shows blue incident and reflected rays bouncing off a smooth surface, with equal angles from the normal; the bottom shows rays scattering from a rough surface, with normals and angles marked at various points. Diagram showing light from a bee reflecting off a vertical plane mirror into an observer's eye; equal angles of incidence and reflection produce a virtual bee image behind the mirror.
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angle of reflection

physics
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Law of reflection diagram showing an incident ray and reflected ray meeting a flat surface at equal angles on either side of a dashed line normal to the surface, theta 1 equals theta 2.
angle of incidence and angle of reflection For a smooth surface the angle of incidence (θ1) equals the angle of reflection (θ2), as measured with reference to the normal (line perpendicular) to the surface.

The law of reflection is a fundamental principle in physics that describes how light behaves when it bounces off a surface. It states that the angle at which light hits a surface, known as the angle of incidence, is equal to the angle at which it bounces off, called the angle of reflection. Both these angles are measured relative to a line perpendicular to the surface, called the normal. The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal all lie in the same plane. This law is crucial for understanding how mirrors form images and is a cornerstone of geometrical optics.123

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5 Britannica Sources
  1. law of reflection
  2. angle of incidence
  3. light - Reflection and refraction
  4. reflecting
  5. reflection

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