Specular reflection: Difference between revisions

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Specular reflection is the perfect, mirror-like reflection of light from a surface, in which light from a single incoming direction is reflected onto a single outgoing direction. Such behaviour is described by the law of reflection, which states that the direction of outgoing reflected light and the direction of incoming light make the same angle with respect to the surface normal; this is commonly stated as $\theta _{i}=\theta _{r}$ .

This is in contrast to diffuse reflection, where incoming light is reflected in all directions equally. The most familiar example of the distinction between specular and diffuse reflection would be matte and glossy paints. Matte paints have a higher proportion of diffuse reflection, while glossy paints have a greater proportion of specular reflection.

Specular reflection and diffuse reflection are simply approximations. In reality, surfaces exhibit a continuum of modes of reflection between these two.

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 [[Image:Reflection.png|frame|Diagram of specular reflection]]
-'''Specular reflection''' is the [[reflection (physics)|reflection]] of light from a surface where at the point of reflection an incident beam is reflected at (and only at) an angle equal to the angle of incidence (both taken with respect to the perpendicular at that point). Such behaviour is described by [[Snell's law]]. This is in contrast to [[diffuse reflection]].
+'''Specular reflection''' is the perfect, mirror-like [[reflection (physics)|reflection]] of light from a surface, in which light from a single incoming direction is reflected onto a single outgoing direction.  Such behaviour is described by the ''law of reflection'', which states that the direction of outgoing reflected light and the direction of incoming light make the same angle with respect to the [[surface normal]]; this is commonly stated as <math>\theta _i = \theta _r</math>.
-The most familiar example of the distinction between specular and diffuse reflection would be [[matte]] and [[glossy]] [[paints]] as used in home painting. Matte paints have a higher proportion of diffuse reflection, while gloss paints have a greater part of specular reflection.
+This is in contrast to [[diffuse reflection]], where incoming light is reflected in all directions equally.  The most familiar example of the distinction between specular and diffuse reflection would be [[matte]] and [[glossy]] [[paints]]. Matte paints have a higher proportion of diffuse reflection, while glossy paints have a greater proportion of specular reflection.
+Specular reflection and diffuse reflection are simply approximations.  In reality, surfaces exhibit a continuum of modes of reflection between these two.
 [[Category:Optics]]