eli5: What is the difference between a mirror and a white object?

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I mean, what does a white object do? Absorbs nothing, reflects all light back.

What does a mirror do? Absorbs nothing, reflects all light back.

Having the same characteristics, how does a mirror reflect an image and a white object, a white texture?

In: Physics

18 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The difference is in the angle of the individual reflected light rays with the surface which depends on the roughness of the surface.

A mirror is basically a very polished white-ish object.

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