Question

Explain whether or not there is any difference between a light ray emitted by a candle flame and one reflected off the cover of a book. b. Determine whether the reflection off the cover of a book is specular or diffuse and explain your answer.

Answer 1

There is no difference between a light ray emitted by a candle flame and one reflected off the cover of a book. The candle flame is a source of light rays, but those rays could travel to the book cover and reflect off the book cover diffusely so that the same ray is actually emitted by the candle flame and reflected by the book. The reflection off the book is diffuse reflection because the book is visible from any angle.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

the difference between the two is that the candle forms an emission spectrum and the book an absorption spectrum.

the book it is observed in all directions so that its reflection has to be diffused

Step-by-step explanation:

The ray of light emitted by a candle is the light generated by the temperature of the flame, which is made up of the emissions of a black body at this temperature plus the emissions of the chemical elements that make up the candle.

The Light reflected from the cover of a book is the same incident light spectrum minus the wavelengths that create transitions in the elements of the cover, these wavelengths will be seen as dark areas.

As a consequence of the above, the difference between the two is that the candle forms an emission spectrum and the book an absorption spectrum.

For the cover of the book form a specular reflection the incident rays are reflected in one direction and the rest would be dark, but in the book it is observed in all directions so that its reflection has to be diffused