Eli5: why are the light waves bouncing off an object, allowing us to see what and where it is, only seen “directly” but aren’t seen going in every direction away from the object?

Question

Tough question to articulate, but hopefully very answerable.

Presumably, from whatever angle imaginable away from your hand, as an example, there is information in the form of [light waves?] about the shape and color of your hand, but that information only becomes relevant from your unique perspective. “Directly” let’s say. You can’t see the “data”/lightwaves being sent in every other possible direction away from the hand, even though no matter where you are in the room, assuming nothing obscures your view, you could see the hand.

In: Physics

Answer 1

They aren’t seen going in every direction because you can only see what hits your eyes, and your eyes are only hit by the light coming directly at you.

You can prove that light is being sent in every direction by simply setting a mirror some distance away from your hand. You’ll be able to see your hand in the mirror; therefore, light *is* heading in every direction.