Chapter 23, Problem 7Q

To determine

To Explain:

The moon’s reflection from a ripply sea appears elongated

Answer to Problem 7Q

Solution:

The moon’s rays reflected from the ripply sea gives the elongated image as the rays undergoes diffuse reflection that the reflection happens in each of the ripple in the water surface producing the different reflected rays at different angles which results in the image forming at multiple places and formed as elongated.

Explanation of Solution

The ripply sea is defined as that plane surface of the sea turned to be rippled due to the wind. The moon light reflects over the ripple surface of the sea. The reflection upon the ripple sea surface is shown in the following figure.

The ripply sea provides many different surface orientations, and so the light from the Moon reflects from that surface at many different angles. The moon light undergoes the diffusion reflection. The moon rays are reflected at each of the ripple in the water and the rays are reflected in many directions. At each of the ripple, the laws of reflection hold. Because of diffused reflection in all directions, an ordinary object can be seen at many different angles by the light reflected from it.

This makes it look like there is one continuous reflection along the surface of the water between you and the Moon, instead of just one specular reflection spot.Hence, the continuous reflection gives the images at different spots which collectively a blurred and elongated.