Reflection and Refraction
- Mirror images are “On” the mirror: The belief that the image is a flat picture
on the glass surface, rather than located behind the mirror. - Light only reflects from shiny things: Not realizing that we see non-shiny
objects (like a wall) because they reflect light in many directions (diffuse
reflection). - Refraction is “Bending” the object: Thinking the object itself (like a straw in
water) has physically broken or bent, rather than the light path changing. - Shadows are “Cast” by the object: Seeing a shadow as a positive thing that an
object “makes,” rather than a region where light has been blocked. - Colour is “In” the object: The belief that a red apple is red, rather than the
apple reflecting red light and absorbing other colours.
