page_title: Specular reflection
section_title: Examples
hierarchical_section_title: Specular reflection / Examples
caption_attribution_description: English: Eiffel Tower under cloudy sky
context_page_description: Specular reflection, or regular reflection, is the mirror-like reflection of waves, such as light, from a surface.
  The law of reflection states that a reflected ray of light emerges from the reflecting surface at the same angle to the surface normal as the incident ray, but on the opposing side of the surface normal in the plane formed by the incident and reflected rays. This behavior was first described by Hero of Alexandria.
  Specular reflection may be contrasted with diffuse reflection, in which light is scattered away from the surface in a range of directions.
context_section_description: A classic example of specular reflection is a mirror, which is specifically designed for specular reflection.
  In addition to visible light, specular reflection can be observed in the ionospheric reflection of radiowaves and the reflection of radio- or microwave radar signals by flying objects. The measurement technique of x-ray reflectivity exploits specular reflectivity to study thin films and interfaces with sub-nanometer resolution, using either modern laboratory sources or synchrotron x-rays.
  Non-electromagnetic waves can also exhibit specular reflection, as in acoustic mirrors which reflect sound, and atomic mirrors, which reflect neutral atoms. For the efficient reflection of atoms from a solid-state mirror, very cold atoms and/or grazing incidence are used in order to provide significant quantum reflection;  ridged mirrors are used to enhance the specular reflection of atoms. Neutron reflectometry uses specular reflection to study material surfaces and thin film interfaces in an analogous fashion to x-ray reflectivity.
caption: Esplanade of the Trocadero in Paris after rain. The layer of water exhibits specular reflection, reflecting an image of the Eiffel Tower and other objects.
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