Does Optical Reversibility Apply to Both Reflection and Refraction?

[Kathi201]

Does the principle of optical reversibility hold for reflection as well as refraction?

 

[phz]

If i understand your question right, I would say the answer is yes. Do you mean that a beam would take the same path but in reverse direction if it came from the other "side"? The trigonometry makes the problems symmetric and thus the answer yes.

There are breaks in symmetry concerning the intensities of the beams though, but the pure geometrical optics is the same.

 

[thomate1]

The principle of reversibility, also known as the reversibility principle or time-reversal symmetry, is a fundamental concept in physics that states that the laws of physics should be the same whether time is moving forward or backward. This principle has been observed and validated in various physical phenomena, including electromagnetic radiation, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics.

In terms of optical phenomena, the principle of reversibility holds true for both reflection and refraction. This means that the behavior of light in a system should be the same whether it is traveling in one direction or the opposite direction. In other words, if we were to reverse the direction of light rays in a system, the same optical effects should be observed.

In reflection, the principle of reversibility can be seen in the fact that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. This means that if we were to reverse the direction of light rays, the reflected light would follow the same path in the opposite direction. Similarly, in refraction, the principle of reversibility can be observed in Snell's law, which states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is constant. This means that if we were to reverse the direction of light rays, the refracted light would follow the same path in the opposite direction.

Overall, the principle of reversibility holds true for both reflection and refraction, demonstrating the fundamental symmetry of light behavior in optical systems.