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When I placed a lamp next to a mirror where I can see "two lamps", does that double the light output? I know all the light that would have been wasted on the wall is now being returned so is it a yes? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 9 months ago by Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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[–] XEAL@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Let's define "more".

Yeah, we're not troll sciencing light out of nowhere, but if the lamp is next to a mirror instead of a wall, the room will have more illumination, because the mirror is reflecting the light emitted by the lamp better than a wall will do.

[–] P1r4nha@feddit.de 6 points 9 months ago

All true, but there's a reason for lamp shades as well, as they diffuse direct light and make the illumination of a room friendlier. Glare is a real issue and so while placing a mirror next to lamp increases the light in a certain direction it could be uncomfortable looking into the direction of the lamp. A white wall would reflect the light in a more diffuse and thus agreeable fashion, but the overall output measured in the room is gonna be smaller. Illumination depends on your needs in the end.

[–] diverging@lemmy.ml 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

the mirror is reflecting the light emitted by the lamp better than a wall will do.

Will it? Maybe. You are making the assumption that specular reflection is better at reflecting than diffuse reflection, but that is a false assumption. It depends on the reflectivity of the wall and the mirror. A white wall can reflect more light than a mirror.