Mirrors

What are mirrors made of?

Modern mirrors are largely produced by the wet deposition of silver or aluminium. The process begins with the cleaning and polishing of the glass substrate to remove impurities and contaminants. The glass then requires a series of coatings beginning with tin chloride because silver will not bond directly with glass.

How do mirrors reflect?

The appearance of an image in a mirror is called a reflection. Reflection happens when light hits a surface. If the light cannot pass through the surface, it bounces off, or reflects. Most surfaces absorb some light and reflect some light. Mirrors, however, reflect almost all the light that hits them. The metallic coating on the back causes the reflection.

When you stand in front of a mirror, your body reflects patterns of light to the mirror. Those patterns of light bounce off the mirror and go back to your eyes. Your brain then interprets, or reads, the patterns of light as an image of yourself in the mirror.

What color is a mirror?

Most mirrors are technically white with a slight green tinge, according to BBC Science Focus Magazine.

How to keep mirrors clean?

Use a microfiber cloth or crumpled-up newspaper to wipe across the mirror in a broad “S” pattern, working from edge to edge, top to bottom. You can use clean warm water with the cloth but be careful not to allow the edges of the mirror to get or remain wet over a period of time.