What is the difference between specular and diffuse




















This reflection usually takes place on rough surfaces, following which the angle of incidence and angle of reflection are unequal. Do all objects emit their own light? Rather, the visibility of objects is due to the reflection of light. Most objects reflect natural or artificial lights. Before understanding the difference, let us know the meaning of a beam and a ray of light.

A beam of light consists of multiple individual light rays which are parallel to each other. And each ray of right follows the laws of reflection. But, this happens only in the case of smooth surfaces. On rough surfaces, every ray of light has a different orientation after reflection. Now, let us understand the difference between regular and diffuse reflection. Consider two different surfaces. Let one be a mirror smooth surface , and the other be any rough surface reddish.

When white light is reflected on the mirror, it reflects all the white light components at the same angle as the incident light. The mirror does not absorb any component of any wavelength.

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Many people have witnessed in person or have seen a photograph of a beautiful nature scene captured by a photographer who set up the shot with a calm body of water in the foreground. The water if calm provides for the specular reflection of light from the subject of the photograph.

Light from the subject can reach the camera lens directly or it can take a longer path in which it reflects off the water before traveling to the lens. Since the light reflecting off the water undergoes specular reflection, the incident rays remain concentrated instead of diffusing.

The light is thus able to travel together to the lens of the camera and produce an image an exact replica of the subject which is strong enough to perceive in the photograph. An example of such a photograph is shown below. If a bundle of parallel incident rays undergoing diffuse reflection follow the law of reflection, then why do they scatter in many different directions after reflecting off a surface? Each individual ray strikes a surface which has a different orientation.

Since the normal is different for each ray of light, the direction of the reflected ray will also be different. Perhaps you have observed magazines which have glossy pages. The usual microscopically rough surface of paper has been filled in with a glossy substance to give the pages of the magazine a smooth surface.

Do you suppose that it would be easier to read from rough pages or glossy pages? Explain your answer. It is much easier to read from rough pages which provide for diffuse reflection. Glossy pages result in specular reflection and cause a glare. The reader typically sees an image of the light bulb which illuminates the page.

If you think about, most magazines which use glossy pages are usually the type which people spend more time viewing pictures than they do reading articles. Physics Tutorial. My Cart Subscription Selection. Student Extras. Diffuse Reflection.



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