L2-41. Optical Board - Corner Reflector

Purpose

To show how a corner reflector works in two dimensions.

Equipment

Optical board with corner reflector.

Images

Description

A ray of light strikes the two surfaces of the corner reflector and returns antiparallel to the original light ray. For a three-dimensional corner reflector the outgoing light ray also leaves antiparallel to the incoming light ray. The lens keeps the ray narrow. ◙◙A set of three rays of different colors can also be used with this two-dimensional corner reflector to show that the rays return inverted with respect to their initial orientation.◙

References

L. C. Corrado, Ray Reversal by the Corner Reflector, AJP 40, 1860-1861 (1972). ◙N. I. Robb, Teaching Reflection from a Corner Cube Reflector, TPT 29, 255 (1991). ◙Frank Kowalski, Reflectance Demonstration, TPT 31, 153 (1993). ◙Paul Chagnon, Optics for People Stuck in Traffic: License Plates, TPT 33, 112-115 (1995).