Light is a form of energy that produces the sensation of sight in our eyes. Light always travels in a straight line, and there are numerous phenomena of light that anyone can observe in day-to-day life. Light is electromagnetic radiation that produces different phenomena like refraction, interference, diffraction, etc. We can observe the effects of light in our nature as the formation of the rainbow, blue color of the sky, reddish color of the sun during sunrise and sunset.
Every phenomenon of light either represents the wave nature of the particle nature of light. Reflection of light and the formation of shadows are the two basic and important processes of light that we usually see in our day-to-day life. Most of the students are a bit confused about what the actual difference between these two is.
Shadow vs Reflection
The main difference between shadow and reflection is that a shadow is formed by the blocking of light rays by any object. On the other hand, reflection is the phenomenon that happens by the bouncing of light rays from any surface.
A shadow forms when an opaque object blocks the path of the light rays coming towards it. Some peoples also have a fear of shadows which is known as “sciophobia.” Shadow occupies all three-dimensional volumes of space. Shadows are often used in the photographic and cinematic world to produce visual effects. Shadow formation is the main cause of solar and lunar eclipses on our planet earth.
A reflection forms when light is reflected by a shiny, smooth, and plane surface. Reflection also includes the change in the direction of a wavefront at the point of incidence on the reflecting surface. The light which hits the surface at some angles will also reflect in the same medium through the same angle. Due to this reflection phenomenon of light, we can see anything around us.
Comparison Table Between Shadow and Reflection
| Parameters of Comparison | Shadow | Reflection |
| Formation | It forms by the blocking of light. | It forms by the bouncing of light. |
| Color | The shadow of any object is always black. | The reflection of an object has colors in it. |
| Nature | The shadow of an object is virtual. | The reflection of an object is either real or virtual. |
| Types | Shadows are of two types self and cast shadows. | Reflections are also of two types regular and diffused reflection. |
| Aspects | Shadow has many cultural aspects also. | Reflection is totally a scientific term. |
What is Shadow?
A shadow is the dark area formed when an object is placed in front of the light source. When the path of the light rays is blocked by an object, then its shadow is formed in the opposite direction. The shape and size of a shadow mainly depend on the orientation of the object, which means how the object is placed in front of the light rays. Once a great Swiss psychologist said that shadow is a copied version of ourselves, and we never are like them. Shadow is also termed as “Chhaya,” which means the goddess of shadows in Hindu mythology.
A shadow can be of different types depending on the nature of the object which blocks the light. If the object is opaque, then we get a darker shadow as the light is completely blocked. But if the object is translucent, then the shadow formed by it is weak. Besides this, a transparent object can never form any shadow because a light ray can pass out completely. Cast and drop shadows are used in graphics for the motion animation of any object.
What is Reflection?
Reflection is the phenomenon of light where light changes its direction after hitting a surface. The reflection phenomenon was first discovered by the Greek mathematician Euclid around 300 BC. The light ray which enters the surface is termed an incident ray, whereas the ray which bounces back is called a reflected ray. There are also some laws related to the reflection of light, which helps understand the phenomena of reflection in geometrical aspects.
Reflection is of different types, which depend on the nature of the surface when reflection takes place. When a light incident on a smooth surface, then the reflection that takes place is known as regular or specular reflection. On the other hand, when light incident on a rough surface, then the reflection that takes place is known as irregular or diffuse reflection.
Main Differences Between Shadow and Reflection
- Shadow gives only the outline of an object, whereas reflection gives the details of that object as well.
- In a shadow formation, light does not reach the observer’s eyes, whereas, in reflection, the light rays reach the observer’s eyes.
- Shadows depend on the nature of objects, whereas reflections depend on the surfaces.
- Shadow is not an optical representation of an object, while the reflection is the optical representation of an object.
- Shadow helps us to know the position of an object, whereas reflection help to visualize that object.
Conclusion
The phenomenon of lights always affects our lives in the perspective of our mood, health, productivity, etc. The study of light in various aspects always makes interests among human beings. Reflection allows us to see the beautiful and colorful world around us. Reflection phenomena are very widely used for military purposes as the submarines use the SONAR technique for the detection of any object under seawater. This is done by the reflection back of the wave after striking any surface underneath the water.
Human shadows have always become a mysterious part of our life which is always there with us inside our consciousness. Shadows are the sign of dark and little children often get afraid while seeing any shadow of an object. Shadows are also a tool of storytelling in the night by forming different animals by the movement of palm and fingers. Besides these, observing the natural phenomena of light are also a great experience.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0010448589900572
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8822057/
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-009-4364-3_1