Mirrors reflect visible light but transmit gamma rays due to atomic interactions
the verdict
INSUFFICIENT LEANING
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
2 sources for · 0 against
AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
The retrieved evidence mentions the categorization of gamma rays and visible light as electromagnetic radiation and notes the failure of mirrors to reflect gamma rays, but does not fully establish the atomic interactions responsible for transmission.
term "light" may refer more broadly to electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength, whether visible or not. In this sense, gamma rays, X-rays, microwaves
Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 terahertz. The visible band sits adjacent to the infrared (with longer wavelengths and lower frequencies) and the ultravi
Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 terahertz. The visible band sits adjacent to the infrared (with longer wavelengths and lower frequencies) and the ultraviolet (with shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies), called collectively optical radiation.
In physics, the term "light" may refer more broadly to electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength, whether visible or not. In this sense, gamma rays, X-rays, microwaves and radio waves are also light. This is why…
# Why does a mirror reflect visible light but not gamma rays?
- Tags: optics, visible-light, electromagnetic-radiation, reflection, gamma-rays
- Score: 42
- Views: 12,216
- Answers: 3
- Asked by: MrV (551 rep)
- Asked on: Jun 7, 2018
- Last active: Sep 13, 2025
- License: CC BY-SA 4.0
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## Question
Visible light (~500 THz) as well as gamma rays (~100 EHz) are electromagnetic radiation but we can reflect visible light using a glass mirror but not gamma rays. Why is that?
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## Answer 1 — Score: 54
- By: anna v (238,043 rep)
- Answered on: Jun 7, 2018
Look at the [electromagnetic spectrum:](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation#Electromagnetic_spectrum)
Visible frequencies have wavelengths of microns, $10^{-6}$ meters.
Gamma rays have a wavelength of $10^{-12}$ meters, picometers.
In physics, there are two mainframes, the classical frame, which includes Maxwell's electrodynamics, Newton's mechanics, and derivative theories, and the quantum mechanical frame which becomes necessary for small distances and high energies, where gammas (photons), electrons, atoms, nucleons, lattices belong.
The _classical electromagnetic_ wave [emerges from zillions of sup
Everything we examined (2)
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