Question

A person with a feathered hat holding a tray stands in front of a mirror. What can they see based on the given information? a. The top of their feather only. b. Their elbow only. c. Their foot only. d. All of the above.

Answer 1

Based on the given information, the person with a feathered hat holding a tray can see
`\( \mathbf{a. The top of their feather only.} \)`

Step-by-step explanation:

When a person stands in front of a mirror, the angle of incidence (the angle between the incident light and the normal to the mirror) is equal to the angle of reflection (the angle between the reflected light and the normal to the mirror). In this scenario, the person can see the top of their feathered hat because light from the top of the hat reflects off the mirror at an angle that reaches their eyes.

Considering the mirror reflects light at the same angle it strikes the mirror, any part of the person's body or accessory that is at the same height as their eyes will be visible. Since the feather is at the top of the hat and likely at the same height as the person's eyes, it is visible in the mirror. However, the elbow and foot are at different heights and angles, making them invisible in the reflection.

Therefore, the correct answer is option (a), as only the top of the feather is visible in the mirror due to the specific angles of reflection and the relative positions of the person's eyes and the feathered hat.