Required Practical: Investigating Reflection & Refraction (AQA GCSE Physics): Revision Notes

This experiment helps demonstrate that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflexion and allows you to determine whether the reflexion is specular (clear) or diffuse (scattered) depending on the material.

Steps to Perform the Experiment

1. Start by drawing a straight line on a sheet of paper using a ruler.
2. Place an object on the paper so that one of its edges aligns with the line you've drawn.
3. Shine a light ray at the object and carefully trace the path of both the incoming and reflected rays on the paper.
4. Draw a normal line at the point where the light ray hits the object. This line should be perpendicular to the surface.
5. Use a protractor to measure the angle between the incoming ray and the normal (angle of incidence) and the angle between the reflected ray and the normal (angle of reflexion).

6. Measure the width of both the incident and reflected beams.
7. Repeat the process for objects made of different materials to observe how the type of material affects the reflexion.