Light Basics and Reflection
Ever wondered why lightning appears before you hear thunder? It's because light waves travel much faster than sound waves! Light always travels in straight lines called light rays, which is why shadows form when light gets blocked.
The sun and light bulbs are light sources because they actually emit light, whilst the moon just reflects sunlight back to us. What we see as white light is actually made up of seven different colours - the visible spectrum that creates rainbows.
When light hits a mirror, it follows the Law of Reflection: the angle of incidence always equals the angle of reflection. Picture a ball bouncing off a wall at exactly the same angle it hits - that's how light behaves too.
Top Tip: Always use a ruler when drawing light diagrams, and remember that angles are measured from the normal line (the perpendicular line to the surface), not from the mirror itself!
