How do mirrors work? How do the atoms in a mirror reflect photons. Does it absorb and reflect? As I understand it, after an atom absorbs a photon it is bound to release that same photon of the same energy. Is this correct?
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"Isn't Reflection just absorption and emission?... Is this correct?" No, it is not correct. Reflection is described here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_(physics) – hft Mar 15 '24 at 15:25
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1At an atomic level there are other processes that can occur besides absorption and emission. For example, elastic scattering of light. Reflection is more akin to elastic scattering than it is to a combination of absorption followed by emission. – hft Mar 15 '24 at 15:26