/sci/ - Science & Math

It has to do with optics and the fine microscopic surface roughness of the object.

Most objects, though they might appear smooth are actually quite rough when you take a look at high magnification - therefore scattering light.

bump

Because while white reflects all colors, it doesn't reflect them very well. The exact image projected onto the white surface is not reflected accurately. It's more "diffusion" than reflection.

>>2363025
QFT + /thread

This is why extremely smooth surfaces can show reflections regardless of their color. Metallic objects are better at this because they are malleable and can be polished more finely, more easily.

So you're saying that if I were to scratch a mirror, it would reflect white where I scratched it.

And I could turn anything into a mirror by just making it's surface extremely smooth (theoretically)?

Compare brushed steel vs finely polished steel. They are the same color, but the surface texture is different, so one reflects more accurately than the other.

>>2363049
I'm not saying that a mirror would reflect white. I'm not sure what it would reflect, but it would probably be some whitish gray or other tone inbetween bright white and black. That is, if you could scratch the material behind the glass. White and black actually reflect the same distribution of visible colors, just more or less so.

>>2363049

Correct. Or something close to white. Try it. And also yes, mirrors are extremely smoothened (word?) metal overlaid with glass, if I remember correctly.

>>2363015

The hand holding the globe is a left hand but the hand of the reflected guy is a right hand...

>>2363087

mfw

fucking mirrors, how do they work

Mirrirs!

>>2363479
Isnt this actually how lasers kinda work

fuck yea mirrors

>>2363087
Put your left hand in front of a mirror and you will see it like a right hand, the drawing is correct.

>>2363503
Ok then why mirrors change left and right but don't change up and down?

>>2363507
could work
>>2363506
this is how flash grenades are made
>>2363502
the light will be trapped inside the box, you won't be able to use it

>>2363552
>this is how flash grenades are made

wat.

light isn't white, the entire visible light spectrum within it is just difficult to discern with the naked eye in the absence of reflection/refraction.

>>2363533
Mirrors don't "change" left and right. Take your left hand to a mirror, your pinky will be the leftmost finger on your hand both on "you" and in the mirror. This is what makes it look like that hand is a right hand..

Here's something that'll shock you; an extremely well polished mirror will actually be darker than a normal mirror. This is because it doesn't scatter light as much as and something... oh well I don't remember why

The difference is that mirrors reflect light while non-mirrors scatter it.

Think of it like this: If you have a matrix of bouncy balls and let them fall vertically first on a smooth surface and again on a bumpy surface. In the first case each ball will come straight up to almost its previous location. In the second case you just have fucking mess. That's the difference.

There is a lot of wave mechanics and E&M involved in the "real" theory. Since you didn't go to wikipedia it is assumed you're a lazy fag and like to play with bouncy balls.

>>2363479

You are forgetting heat absorption.. and hence the intensity of the light is reduced each time it is reflected... hence it doesn't work

>>2363945
Close, mirrors flip on the z axis but it just looks like the x axis at first.