Which term describes the light that is bouncing off a reflective surface?

The term that describes the light bouncing off a reflective surface is "reflected ray." When light encounters a reflective surface, such as a mirror, the angle at which the incoming light (the incident ray) strikes the surface is equal to the angle at which it bounces off, creating the reflected ray.

This concept is grounded in the law of reflection, which states that the angle of incidence (the angle between the incident ray and a perpendicular line to the surface) is equal to the angle of reflection (the angle formed between the reflected ray and that same perpendicular line). The reflected ray thus is a direct result of this interaction and is crucial for understanding how images are formed through mirrors and other reflective materials.

In contrast, the incident ray refers to the incoming light striking the surface, the refracted ray describes light that has passed through a medium and changed direction (like light bending through water), and a diffuse ray refers to light that has been scattered in many directions after hitting a rough surface. Understanding these distinctions is vital in the study of optics and light behavior.