What Is a Mirror?
Mirrors feel like glass but behave differently from window glass.
Glass is transparent, letting you see through it, while a mirror reflects your image.
Even in the dark, a mirror shows your reflection if there's enough light, unlike glass.
Science Behind Metals and Insulators
Metals (like steel and aluminum) are shiny, conduct electricity, and have free-moving electrons.
Insulators (like glass, wood, plastics) don’t conduct electricity because their electrons are tightly bound.
How Light and Electrons Interact
Light is an electromagnetic wave, creating electric and magnetic fields that affect electrons.
Electrons move like dancers when light hits them—in metals, they move together (like a flash mob), while in insulators, they move individually.
This movement determines whether light passes through or reflects off a material.
Why Can You See Yourself in a Mirror?
Metals reflect light because their free electrons create a collective "dance" that bounces light back.
Glass lets light pass through, which is why you can’t see your reflection in a window during the day.
At night, you see yourself in the glass because the room’s light reflects off the glass.
How Does a Mirror Work?
A mirror is made of glass with a thin metal coating on the back.
The front glass lets some light pass through, while the metal layer reflects the light back to you.
This combination of glass (insulator) and metal (conductor) creates the reflective surface.
Amazing Science of Topological Materials
Scientists have discovered materials that act like metals on the outside and insulators on the inside—called topological materials.
These materials are used in advanced technologies, like quantum computers.
They were a key discovery in quantum mechanics, for which the Nobel Prize was awarded in 2016.
Dance of Electrons
The reflection you see in the mirror isn’t just your image—it’s the "dance of electrons" happening in the glass and metal.
The UN declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology to celebrate these discoveries.
COMMENTS