Around 25% never hits the reflector.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Wayne Sallee wrote on 6/19/2006 5:15 PM:
That drawing implies that more of the light is reflected than actually
is. Much of it never hits the reflector.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Wayne Sallee wrote on 6/19/2006 5:11 PM:
No, not really. Imagine if you were to draw that same drawing, and you
were to make a yellow circle, and then demonstrate the light coming
out of it in all directions.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Pszemol wrote on 6/19/2006 4:56 PM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
I find it humorous the way the CatoptricReflector1.jpg is drawn in
such a way that it is misleading with the light rays not all coming
at a 90 degree angle from the light source.

The drawing is correct, Wayne!

The light will reflect at the same angle you direct
the light source from the flat surface...

This is exactly how the parabolic reflector works IF...
IF is important: the light source has to be in the
focus poit of this parabole shape...

Of course - reflectors you can buy at the fish stores
are not perfectly parabolic, but they try to estimate
the shape with multiple stright bends of the sheet metal.

Here is a better picture of this process:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_%28physics%29