Difference Between Reflection and Refraction

Difference Between Reflection and Refraction - A Complete Guide

Edited By Vishal kumar | Updated on Jul 02, 2025 04:59 PM IST

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$Difference Between Reflection and Refraction - A Complete Guide$

Difference Between Reflection and Refraction - A Complete Guide

Differentiate between reflection and refraction

Two important phenomena in geometrical optics are reflection and refraction. Reflection describes light bouncing off a surface. Refraction tells us about the bending of the path of the light as the light passes from one material to another.

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What is reflection and refraction?

Reflection, which is light bouncing off a surface and can be compared much like a ball bouncing off the floor or a wall, is the simplest process for changing the direction that light travels in.

Refraction takes place when the path that the light travels bends as it goes from one material into another. It occurs only in transparent materials. A smooth sheet of metal reflects most of the light rays because the light can’t enter the metal, but on the contrary a piece of glass refracts the light because some of the light goes through the surface.

Difference between Reflection and Refraction in a tabular form

The Difference between Reflection and Refraction are mentioned below:-

S.No	Parameters	Reflection	Refraction
1.	Definition	Reflection is considered as the bouncing back of light when it falls on a surface.	Refraction is considered as the bending of rays of light when it travels from one medium to another medium.
2.	Surface	It takes place on shiny surfaces that allow bouncing back of light without passing through it.	It takes place in the transparent surface that allows the bending of light rays to a different medium.
3.	Type	It follows two forms of reflection i.e. regular reflection and diffused reflection.	It follows a single form of refraction.
4.	Occurrence	It takes place only in mirrors.	It takes place only in lenses.
5.	Nature of light	Here, the light ray bounces back in the same direction.	Here, the light ray passes from one medium to another.
6.	Speed of Light	The speed of light does not vary.	The speed of light is changed from one medium to another.
7.	Medium of propagation	The medium of propagation of light remains the same.	The medium of propagation of light gets changed.
8.	Angles of reflection and incidence	The angle of incidence and reflection are the same.	The angle of incidence and refraction are different.

Now, as we have discussed the difference between reflection and refraction, let us discuss more about reflection and refraction.

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There are two laws of reflection:

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
The ray of incidence, the ray of reflection, and the normal drawn at the point of incidence, to the mirror, occurs on the same plane.

There are two types of reflection:

Regular reflection:- It is also known as specular reflection. It occurs when a beam of light falls on a smooth, regular and polished surface.

Irregular reflection:- It is also known as diffused reflection. It occurs when the beam of light falls on the rough surface and reflects light in different directions.

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There are two laws of refraction:-

1. According to the first law of refraction, the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence and the sine of the angle of refraction is constant in any two given mediums.

2. The second law states that the incident ray, the refracted ray and normal ray at the interface of any two given mediums, all lie in the same plane.

Reflection and Refraction Examples

Some examples where reflection takes place are plane mirror, rear view mirrors, astronomical reflecting telescope, microscopes, etc.

Some examples where refraction takes place are prisms, glass slabs, water, Glass of water with a spoon in it, Oil in a glass bottle, Lens, etc.

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NCERT Physics Notes:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between reflection and refraction of light?

The difference between reflection and refraction of light is that reflection describes light bouncing off a surface whereas refraction deals with the bending of the path of the light as the light goes from one material to another.

2. Write the difference between reflection and refraction in a tabular form.

The difference between reflection and refraction of light is as follows:-

S.No	Parameters	Reflection	Refraction
1.	Definition	Reflection is considered as the bouncing back of light when it falls on a surface.	Refraction is considered as the bending of rays of light when it travels from one medium to another medium.
2.	Surface	It takes place on shiny surfaces that allow bouncing back of light without passing through it.	It takes place in the transparent surface that allows the bending of light rays to a different medium.
3.	Type	It follows two forms of reflection i.e. regular reflection and diffused reflection.	It follows a single form of refraction.
4.	Occurrence	It takes place only in mirrors.	It takes place only in lenses.
5.	Nature of light	Here, the light ray bounces back in the same direction.	Here, the light ray passes from one medium to another.
6.	Speed of Light	The speed of light does not vary.	The speed of light is changed from one medium to another.
7.	Medium of propagation	The medium of propagation of light remains the same.	The medium of propagation of light gets changed.
8.	Angles of reflection and incidence	The angle of incidence and reflection are the same.	The angle of incidence and refraction are different.

3. Write the two laws of reflection.

The two laws of reflection are:-

1. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

2. The ray of incidence, the ray of reflection, and the normal drawn at the point of incidence, to the mirror, occurs on the same plane.

4. Give some examples of refraction.

Some examples where refraction takes place are prisms, glass slab, water, Glass of water with a spoon in it, Oil in a glass bottle, Lens, etc.

5. What is the fundamental difference between reflection and refraction?

Reflection is the bouncing back of light from a surface, while refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. In reflection, light stays in the same medium, whereas in refraction, light changes its path due to a change in medium.

6. Why does a straw appear bent when placed in a glass of water?

This is due to refraction. When light passes from air (less dense medium) to water (more dense medium), it bends. This causes the part of the straw in water to appear displaced from its actual position, creating the illusion of a bent straw.

7. How does the angle of incidence relate to the angle of reflection?

In reflection, the angle of incidence is always equal to the angle of reflection. This is known as the law of reflection. Both angles are measured from the normal (perpendicular) to the reflecting surface.

8. Can refraction occur if light travels from a denser to a less dense medium?

Yes, refraction occurs whenever light passes from one medium to another with different optical densities. When light travels from a denser to a less dense medium, it bends away from the normal.

9. What is the difference between regular and diffuse reflection?

Regular reflection occurs on smooth surfaces where parallel light rays remain parallel after reflection, creating a clear image. Diffuse reflection occurs on rough surfaces where light rays are scattered in various directions, resulting in no clear image formation.

10. Why do we see a mirage on a hot road?

A mirage is caused by total internal reflection. Hot air near the road surface is less dense than the cooler air above. Light from the sky bends as it passes through layers of air with different densities, creating an illusion of water on the road.

11. How does a prism separate white light into different colors?

A prism separates white light through dispersion, which is a form of refraction. Different colors of light have different wavelengths and bend at slightly different angles when passing through the prism, causing them to separate into a spectrum.

12. What is the critical angle, and how does it relate to total internal reflection?

The critical angle is the angle of incidence beyond which total internal reflection occurs. When light travels from a denser to a less dense medium, if the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle, all light is reflected back into the denser medium instead of being refracted.

13. How does a fiber optic cable work using the principle of total internal reflection?

Fiber optic cables use total internal reflection to transmit light signals over long distances. The light enters the fiber at an angle greater than the critical angle, causing it to bounce repeatedly off the inner walls of the fiber without escaping, thus traveling long distances with minimal loss.

14. Why does a diamond sparkle more than glass?

Diamonds sparkle more due to their higher refractive index and critical angle. This causes more total internal reflection within the diamond, reflecting more light back to the observer's eye. The cut of the diamond is also designed to maximize this effect.

15. How does refraction affect the apparent depth of a swimming pool?

Refraction makes a swimming pool appear shallower than it actually is. Light from the bottom of the pool bends as it exits the water, making the bottom appear closer to the surface than its true position.

16. How does a convex lens use refraction to form an image?

A convex lens refracts light rays passing through it, causing them to converge at a focal point. The nature and position of the image formed depend on the object's distance from the lens and the lens's focal length.

17. What is the relationship between the refractive index and the speed of light in a medium?

The refractive index of a medium is inversely proportional to the speed of light in that medium. A higher refractive index means light travels slower in that medium, leading to more bending of light rays when entering or leaving the medium.

18. How does atmospheric refraction affect the apparent position of stars?

Atmospheric refraction causes stars to appear higher in the sky than they actually are. As light from stars passes through Earth's atmosphere, it bends due to the changing density of air layers, altering the apparent position of the star.

19. How does a mirrored surface achieve near-perfect reflection?

A mirrored surface achieves near-perfect reflection by having an extremely smooth surface at the microscopic level. This smoothness ensures that incident light rays are reflected at the same angle, preserving the image. Additionally, a thin layer of reflective material (often silver or aluminum) is applied to enhance reflectivity.

20. How does the refractive index of a medium affect the critical angle?

The critical angle is inversely related to the refractive index of the medium. A higher refractive index results in a smaller critical angle. This means that light is more likely to undergo total internal reflection in media with higher refractive indices.

21. What is the principle behind anti-reflective coatings on glasses?

Anti-reflective coatings work on the principle of destructive interference. A thin layer of material with a specific refractive index and thickness is applied to the lens. This causes the reflected light waves from the top and bottom of the coating to be out of phase, canceling each other out and reducing reflection.

22. How does refraction affect the apparent position of underwater objects when viewed from above?

Refraction causes underwater objects to appear closer to the surface than they actually are. When light from an underwater object passes from water to air, it bends away from the normal. Our brains interpret these bent rays as coming from a straight-line path, making the object appear closer to the surface.

23. Why does a diamond appear to sparkle with different colors?

A diamond's sparkle is due to a combination of reflection, refraction, and dispersion. The high refractive index of diamond causes significant bending of light and total internal reflection. Additionally, dispersion separates white light into its component colors. The cut of the diamond is designed to maximize these effects, creating the characteristic sparkle and fire.

24. How does the refractive index of a medium affect the speed and wavelength of light passing through it?

As light enters a medium with a higher refractive index, its speed decreases but its frequency remains constant. To maintain the same frequency with a lower speed, the wavelength of the light must decrease. This relationship is described by the equation: speed of light = frequency × wavelength.

25. What is the principle behind fiber optic communication?

Fiber optic communication relies on total internal reflection. Light signals are transmitted through thin glass or plastic fibers. The light enters the fiber at an angle greater than the critical angle, causing it to reflect off the walls of the fiber without escaping. This allows the signal to travel long distances with minimal loss of intensity.

26. How does a retroreflector work, and where is it commonly used?

A retroreflector reflects light back to its source regardless of the angle of incidence. It typically consists of three mutually perpendicular reflective surfaces. Retroreflectors are used in road signs, bicycle reflectors, and safety clothing to enhance visibility at night.

27. What is the difference between real and virtual images in optics?

A real image is formed when light rays actually converge at a point, and can be projected on a screen. Virtual images are formed when light rays appear to diverge from a point, but don't actually pass through that point. Reflections in plane mirrors and images formed by convex lenses when objects are close are examples of virtual images.

28. How does atmospheric refraction affect the apparent time of sunrise and sunset?

Atmospheric refraction causes the Sun to appear higher in the sky than it actually is. This effect is most pronounced near the horizon, causing the Sun to appear to rise earlier and set later than it would without refraction. This extends the apparent day length by about 4-5 minutes at mid-latitudes.

29. What is the principle behind polarized sunglasses, and how does it relate to reflection?

Polarized sunglasses work by blocking horizontally polarized light, which is often produced by reflection from surfaces like water or roads. When light reflects off a horizontal surface, it becomes partially polarized in the horizontal direction. The vertical polarization filter in the sunglasses blocks this reflected glare, reducing eye strain and improving visibility.

30. How does the refractive index of a medium change with the wavelength of light, and what effect does this have?

The refractive index of a medium generally decreases as the wavelength of light increases. This variation is called dispersion. It's responsible for the separation of white light into its component colors when passing through a prism or creating a rainbow, as different wavelengths (colors) are bent by different amounts.

31. What is total internal reflection, and under what conditions does it occur?

Total internal reflection occurs when light traveling in a denser medium hits the boundary with a less dense medium at an angle greater than the critical angle. Under these conditions, all the light is reflected back into the denser medium, with no refraction occurring. This principle is used in fiber optics and certain types of prisms.

32. How does a mirage form, and what type of reflection is involved?

A mirage forms due to a temperature gradient in the air, which causes a gradual change in refractive index. Light rays bend in this varying refractive index medium, creating an illusion. The type of reflection involved is total internal reflection, occurring within the air layers rather than at a distinct boundary.

33. How does a convex mirror produce a virtual, erect, and diminished image for all object positions?

In a convex mirror, the reflecting surface bulges outward, causing incident light rays to diverge after reflection. These diverging rays appear to come from a point behind the mirror, creating a virtual image. The image is always erect (upright) and smaller than the object because the diverging rays make the image appear closer and smaller than the object.

34. What is the principle behind anti-reflective coatings on camera lenses?

Anti-reflective coatings on camera lenses work on the principle of destructive interference. A thin layer of material with a specific refractive index and thickness is applied to the lens. When light reflects from the top and bottom surfaces of this coating, the reflected waves are out of phase and cancel each other out, reducing overall reflection and improving light transmission.

35. How does the refractive index of the eye's cornea and lens focus light onto the retina?

The cornea and lens of the eye have higher refractive indices than air, causing light to bend as it enters the eye. The cornea does most of the refraction, while the lens fine-tunes the focus. The shape and refractive indices of these structures are such that light from distant objects is focused precisely on the retina, forming a clear image.

36. What is the difference between regular and irregular reflection?

Regular reflection occurs on smooth surfaces where parallel incident rays remain parallel after reflection, producing a clear image. Irregular reflection occurs on rough surfaces where incident rays are reflected in various directions, scattering the light and not producing a clear image. Mirrors produce regular reflection, while most natural surfaces produce irregular reflection.

37. How does refraction in the atmosphere affect the apparent shape of the sun at sunset?

Atmospheric refraction causes the sun to appear flattened or squashed at sunset. This is because light from the bottom of the sun travels through more atmosphere than light from the top, causing it to be refracted more. This differential refraction makes the bottom of the sun appear to be lifted more than the top, resulting in the squashed appearance.

38. What is the principle behind a corner reflector, and where is it used?

A corner reflector consists of three mutually perpendicular reflective surfaces. Light entering the reflector bounces off all three surfaces and returns parallel to its original path, regardless of the angle of incidence. This principle is used in retroreflective materials found in road signs, bicycle reflectors, and safety clothing to enhance visibility at night.

39. How does the principle of least time (Fermat's principle) explain the formation of mirages?

Fermat's principle states that light takes the path of least time. In a mirage, the air near the hot surface has a lower refractive index than the cooler air above. Light traveling through these layers follows a curved path that takes the least time, rather than a straight line. This curved path creates the illusion of a reflected image, like water on a hot road.

40. What is the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction when light passes from one medium to another?

The relationship between the angle of incidence (i) and the angle of refraction (r) is described by Snell's law: n1 sin(i) = n2 sin(r), where n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of the first and second medium respectively. This law shows that the ratio

41. Why does a pencil appear to break when partially submerged in water?

This is due to refraction. Light rays from the part of the pencil underwater bend as they exit the water, making this part appear displaced from its actual position. The part above water is seen directly, creating the illusion of a break.

42. What is the difference between reflection and scattering of light?

Reflection involves light bouncing off a surface at a predictable angle, while scattering involves light being deflected in multiple directions when it encounters particles or rough surfaces. Reflection preserves the directionality of light, while scattering disperses it.

43. Why does a spoon appear magnified when placed in a glass of water?

This is due to refraction. The curved surface of the water acts like a convex lens, bending light rays and magnifying the part of the spoon that's underwater. The magnification occurs because the light rays from the object are bent towards the normal, making the object appear larger.

44. How does refraction contribute to the formation of rainbows?

Rainbows form due to a combination of refraction, reflection, and dispersion of light by water droplets. Sunlight enters a raindrop, refracts, reflects off the back of the droplet, and then refracts again as it exits. This process separates white light into its component colors, creating the rainbow effect.

45. Why does a fish in water appear to be at a different location than it actually is?

This is due to refraction. Light rays from the fish bend as they pass from water to air, changing their direction. Our brains interpret these bent rays as coming from a straight-line path, making the fish appear closer to the surface and at a different location than its actual position.

46. How does the principle of least time (Fermat's principle) explain both reflection and refraction?

Fermat's principle states that light takes the path that requires the least time. In reflection, this results in the angle of incidence equaling the angle of reflection. In refraction, it explains why light bends when entering a medium where it travels at a different speed, following the path of least time rather than the shortest distance.

47. What is the difference between specular and diffuse reflection?

Specular reflection occurs on smooth surfaces where light rays are reflected at the same angle as the incident rays, producing a clear image. Diffuse reflection occurs on rough surfaces where light rays are reflected in many directions, scattering the light and not producing a clear image.

48. Why does a straw in a glass of water appear to be broken or bent at the water's surface?

This is due to refraction. Light rays from the part of the straw underwater bend as they pass from water to air. Our brains interpret these bent rays as coming from a straight-line path, making the underwater portion of the straw appear displaced from its actual position, creating the illusion of a break or bend at the water's surface.

49. How does the principle of reversibility of light apply to reflection and refraction?

The principle of reversibility states that light will follow the same path whether it's going forward or backward. In reflection, this means that if you swap the positions of the light source and your eye, you'll still see the reflection. In refraction, if light travels from medium A to B and bends, it will follow the exact reverse path when traveling from B to A.

50. Why does a swimming pool appear shallower than it actually is?

This is due to refraction. Light rays from the bottom of the pool bend away from the normal as they pass from water to air. Our brains interpret these bent rays as coming from a straight-line path, making the bottom appear closer to the surface than it actually is, thus making the pool seem shallower.

51. How does the refractive index of a medium affect the speed and direction of light passing through it?

The refractive index of a medium determines how much the speed of light is reduced in that medium compared to its speed in vacuum. A higher refractive index means a lower speed of light. When light passes from one medium to another with a different refractive index, it changes direction (bends) due to the change in speed, a phenomenon known as refraction.

52. What is the difference between reflection and diffraction of light?

Reflection involves light bouncing off a surface at a predictable angle, while diffraction is the bending of light around obstacles or through openings. Reflection preserves the directionality of light, while diffraction causes light to spread out and can create interference patterns.