Mirrors are usually made of clear glass that has been coated on one side with a thin film of metal, such as silver or aluminium. They are flat and reflect the objects in front of them accurately, maintaining the same relative size and position of the objects reflected. Light is a form of energy, and when it hits a surface, such as a mirror, it is reflected or bounced from the surface. This is similar to a ball bouncing off a wall. The reflected image is comprised of photons, which are particles of light. When these photons initially hit the mirror they cause electrons to vibrate within atoms, which in turn produces an identical light photon. When light strikes a plane mirror, the light is reflected back at an equal angle, yet reversed from right to left. One example of this would be to hold up a piece of paper in front of the mirror, and write a word on the paper by looking not at the paper, but at the reflection of the paper in the mirror. You will discover that when you look at the paper, the word will be written backward.
How do Mirrors Work?
