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Q&A Why do markers reflect light, even when the light source fails to illumine the space between the source and markers?

Please see below screenshot of 15:59.The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the...

1 answer  ·  posted 2y ago by TextKit‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Question light
#7: Post edited by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T18:12:34Z (about 2 years ago)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • It counters intuition that although a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target, the light can still illumine SOLELY the target! **Please correct my intuition?**
  • _**I never studied science after secondary school. Please explain like I am (1)5.**_ Someone asked this on [r/explainlikeimfive](https://redd.it/uazi31).
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • It counters intuition that although a light fails to illumine the area between the source and the target, the light can still illumine SOLELY the target! **Please correct my intuition?**
  • _**I never studied science after secondary school. Please explain like I am (1)5.**_
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
#6: Post edited by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T17:33:46Z (about 2 years ago)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • **It counters intuition that although a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target,** **_the light can still illumine SOLELY the target._** Can you please correct my intuition?
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • It counters intuition that although a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target, the light can still illumine SOLELY the target! **Please correct my intuition?**
  • _**I never studied science after secondary school. Please explain like I am (1)5.**_ Someone asked this on [r/explainlikeimfive](https://redd.it/uazi31).
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
#5: Post edited by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T17:10:36Z (about 2 years ago)
  • Why do markers reflect light, even when the light source fails to illumine the space between the source and markers?rkers?
  • Why do markers reflect light, even when the light source fails to illumine the space between the source and markers?
#4: Post edited by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T17:10:25Z (about 2 years ago)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • It counters intuitive that a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target, but the light can still illumine SOLELY the target.
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • **It counters intuition that although a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target,** **_the light can still illumine SOLELY the target._** Can you please correct my intuition?
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
#3: Post edited by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T17:09:46Z (about 2 years ago)
  • I screenshot [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959). As you can see, the LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front. The LED fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • It counters intuitive that a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target, but the light can still illumine SOLELY the target.
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
  • Please see below screenshot of [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959).The LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front, and fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers. So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?
  • It counters intuitive that a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target, but the light can still illumine SOLELY the target.
  • ![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)
#2: Post edited by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T17:09:20Z (about 2 years ago)
  • Why do markers reflect light, even when the LED source doesn't illumine the markers?
  • Why do markers reflect light, even when the light source fails to illumine the space between the source and markers?rkers?
#1: Initial revision by user avatar TextKit‭ · 2022-04-24T17:08:38Z (about 2 years ago)
Why do markers reflect light, even when the LED source doesn't illumine the markers? 
I screenshot [15:59](https://youtu.be/S0Xi7J46hLY?t=959). As you can see, the LED spot light (fastened to the front of the boat) illumines merely a few meters in front. The LED  fails to illumine most of the water between the boat and the markers.  So how can the LED spot light still illumine the markers that I highlighted in orange?

It counters intuitive that a light fails to illumine an area between the source and the target, but the light can still illumine SOLELY the target. 

![Image alt text](https://physics.codidact.com/uploads/vvYTpumHFebMfUgcgij7Ubrm)