Effect of mirror rotation on a reflected ray

Effect of mirror rotation on a reflected ray

Effect of mirror rotation on a reflected ray

When a ray hit the horizontal mirror at an angle of incident i,  the angle of reflection is also equal to  i. When the mirror  rotates to second position , the normal to the mirror turn through an angle A and the angle of incident also turn through angle A. The final angle of rotation of the reflected ray will be 2A.

Hence, when a mirror rotates through an angle A, the reflected ray turns through an angle 2A.

The application of this is seen in Mirror galvanometer and Sextant navigation.

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