...I frequently get odd requests from web-surfers who stumble across PHYS-L
and its archives. Yesterday I got a request from a surfer who was looking for
a nice explanation of the optics of a standard rear-view automobile mirror,
which when tilted significantly dims the reflected image.
I think I know how the mirror works; I THINK it's a glass wedge and by
controlling the incident angles one can reflect light multiple times
within the wedge, attenuating it. I could easily be very wrong. But I can't
find a simple explanation of the design on the web anywheres. Can anyone
help steer me to an appropriate online explanation?
Thanks in advance,
Dan M
Dan MacIsaac, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Northern AZ Univ
danmac@nau.edu http://purcell.phy.nau.edu PHYS-L list owner