Question

Kyle lays a mirror flat on the floor and aims a laser at the mirror. The laser beam reflects off the mirror and strikes an adjacent wall. The plane of the incident and reflected beams is perpendicular to the wall. The beam from the laser strikes the mirror at a distance a = 16.3 cm a=16.3 cm from the wall. The reflected beam strikes the wall at a height b = 32.5 cm b=32.5 cm above the surface of the mirror. Find the angle of incidence θ i θi at which the laser beam strikes the mirror.

Answer 1

26.64°

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

a = 16.3 cm

b = 32.5 cm

Angle when laser beam reflects off the mirror and strike the wall =

θ
`= tan^-^1((b)/(a))`

`= tan^-^1((32.5)/(16.3))`

= 63. 36°

For angle of reflection, we have:

θr = 90° - 63.36°

θr = 26.64°

Since angle of incidence, θi is equal to angle of reflection θr, the angle of incidence θi at which the laser beam strikes the mirror is =

θi = θr = 26.64°