Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Ayush Panwar on 13/01/2011 22:30:03

Title: Why isn't paper reflective like a mirror?
Post by: Ayush Panwar on 13/01/2011 22:30:03
Ayush Panwar asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Why can't we see our own image on a sheet of paper?

What do you think?
Title: Why isn't paper reflective like a mirror?
Post by: QuantumClue on 13/01/2011 22:37:24
Paper absorbs too much light for it reflect an image correctly.
Title: Why isn't paper reflective like a mirror?
Post by: yor_on on 14/01/2011 00:36:39
When the light hits the paper it breaks up in all kind of angles, and the light that reflect back to you have little coherence. Think of a glass bottle, it will reflect your face. Then crush the glass into a powder, and look at it. It will seem white to you, and no more reflect any mirror image. Snow looks white for much the same reason,  its light is partially reflected by the snow crystals.  The incident light bounces around and scatters back to you, and since all colors are scattered roughly equally well, the snow will seem white. Different surfaces absorbs different spectra, and do it to a greater or lesser degree. Ice for example absorbs red more easily than blue and so snow can at times look blue to you.