Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Integrated Science (024) Practice Exam

When light strikes a concave mirror at an angle, what type of reflection occurs?

1. Diffused reflection

2. Regular reflection

3. Specular reflection

4. Scattering reflection

The correct answer is: Specular reflection

When light strikes a concave mirror, it reflects in a manner that is characterized as specular reflection. This type of reflection occurs when light rays strike a smooth, shiny surface, such as a concave mirror, and the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence. As a result, parallel light rays remain parallel after reflection, allowing for clear images to be formed. In contrast, other types of reflection, like diffused reflection, occur on rough surfaces where light rays scatter in many different directions. Scattering reflection, somewhat similar to diffuse reflection, refers to the scattering of light in various directions, which does not produce a clear image. Regular reflection typically describes the broader principle of reflective behavior but does not specifically refer to the characteristics seen with mirrors. Thus, specular reflection is the most accurate term to describe the reflective behavior of light striking a concave mirror.