How Does Reflection vs Refraction Work?

When light hits a surface, it can either bounce back or go through, like when you play with water and mirrors.

Imagine you're at the beach. If you throw a ball at a wall, it bounces back to you, that’s reflection. Just like how a mirror shows your face because light bounces off it and comes back to your eyes.

Now, if you throw the same ball into water, it doesn’t bounce back, it goes through the water, maybe even changing direction a little, that’s refraction. Like when you stick your foot in water and it looks wobbly or bent, even though your foot is straight. The light bends as it moves from air to water.

Reflection happens when light hits something solid, like a wall or mirror, it just turns around.

Refraction happens when light goes through something transparent, like water or glass, it changes direction, like a sneaky little light trying to hide!

So next time you see your face in a mirror or your foot looking funny in the pool, you'll know: one is reflection, the other is refraction!