You might also remember from school that, much like mirrors, white objects (like a piece of printer paper or a white wall) reflect all the colors of the visible spectrum. For example, when light hits a banana, it absorbs every color except for yellow, which it reflects, making the banana appear yellow. Most objects absorb some colors and reflect others, giving rise to our perception of the color properties of things. The layer of paint at the back of the mirror serves a similar protective function, keeping the metal in place.īut why are mirrors uniquely reflective? When light hits a mirror, it reflects every color in the visible spectrum. Light passes through the glass part of the mirror and is reflected by the metal. Instead, the glass surface of a mirror performs a predominantly protective function, preserving the extremely thin, extremely smooth layer of metal behind it. It turns out glass isn’t the most important component of a looking glass. Most household mirrors are made of glass with a thin layer of metal backing (usually aluminum), and several layers of paint. Why is it that mirrors reflect images of their surroundings when other objects don’t? Why can we see ourselves in mirrors, and what’s actually happening when we look into a looking glass?Ĭonsidering the near-magical function mirrors perform, their construction is surprisingly simple. Most of us use mirrors every day without stopping to reflect on how they actually work.
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