What is the difference between the way a mirror reflects light vs a retroreflective safety vest?
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Hi /u/Johnnysmooth1996!
A mirror has a very smooth surface, therefore the light rays are reflected approximately by a single surface. Therefore, they keep their relative position and orientation, which leads to a clear image in the reflection.
Reflective safety vests, on the other hand, scatter the incoming light rays in different directions, so as to be visible from many different angles when illuminated from one direction. As a consequence of this scattering, the reflected image is not preserved.
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