Reflection is the light bouncing back in the general direction from which it
came. Consider a smooth metallic surface as an interface. As waves hit this
surface, much of their energy will be bounced or reflected. Think of common
experiences, such as looking at a mirror or watching sunlight reflect off a
metallic surface or water. When waves travel from one medium to another, a
certain percentage of the light is reflected. This is called a Fresnel
reflection.
Radio waves also reflect when entering different media. The
law of reflection can describe these reflections. Radio waves can bounce off of
different layers of the atmosphere. The reflecting properties of the area where
the WLAN is to be installed are extremely important and can determine whether a
WLAN works or fails. Furthermore, the connectors at both ends of the
transmission line going to the antenna should be properly designed and
installed, so that no reflection of radio waves takes place. If the line and
connectors are not properly matched, some energy will be thrown back as an echo
and will constitute a loss in power from the system.
Use the activity to
calculate and graphically display the angle of reflection for different angles
of incidence and different materials.