angle of reflection

1 5.1

The angle between a reflected light ray and a line at right angles to the surface where it hits

noun

Specialized

: ángulo de reflexión

Research as far back as Heron of Alexandria has shown that when the ray strikes a mirror, the optimal angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
equals the angle of reflection
incidence equals the angle of reflection

This way, angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.

Examples

And when I integrate all angle of reflection I get directional spectral.
The angle of reflection is measured from the normal line to the surface that the light ray hits.
In optics, the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence when light reflects off a surface.
To calculate the angle of reflection, draw a line perpendicular to the surface where the ray hits.

Surface Forms

angle of reflection singular

angles of reflection plural

Morphology

angle + of + reflection

The meaning is directly compositional: it denotes the angle associated with a reflected ray, which a learner can derive from 'angle' (geometric measure) + 'reflection' (return of energy) with the relational 'of'. This is a standard noun–of–noun technical compound found across languages, so the sense is immediately predictable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

The noun angle of reflection describes the angle made when a ray of light 'bounces' off a surface. This 'bouncing' is called reflection, and the angle between the bounced beam and an invisible line that stands straight out from the surface is the angle of reflection, which shows 'where the light will go'.