Light is known to behave in a very predictable manner. If a ray of light could be approaching and reflecting off of a mirror, then the behavior of the light as it reflects would follow a predictable law known as the law of reflection. The diagram below illustrates the law of reflection.
In the illustration, the shaft of light approaching the glass is known as the incident shaft ( labeled I in the illustration). The shaft of light that leaves the glass is known as the reflected shaft ( labeled R in the illustration). At the point of prevalence where the shaft strikes the glass, a line can be drawn vertical to the face of the glass. This line is known as a normal line ( labeled N in the illustration). The normal line divides the angle between the incident shaft and the reflected shaft into two equal angles. The angle between the incident shaft and the normal is known as the angle of prevalence. The angle between the reflected shaft and the normal is known as the angle of reflection. (These two angles are labeled with the Greek letter"theta" accompanied by a subscript; read as"theta-i"for angle of prevalence and"theta-r"for angle of reflection.) The law of reflection countries that when a shaft of light reflects off a face, the angle of prevalence is equal to the angle of reflection.
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