Geometry of incident and reflected rays
Compass constructions for the angles of incidence and reflection, with a marginal semicircle
Headed 'On the impression of the species,' the sheet works out geometrically how a ray reflects. Two figures of incident and reflected rays are built up from level and perpendicular lines and a circle, the acute angle being divided equally with the compass to locate the equal angles of incidence and reflection about a semicircle. A marginal semicircle supplies a rule for constructing the reflected ray when the drawn length does not meet the diameter's end.
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On the impression of species: locating the equal angles of incidence and reflection
Beginning from the level line a c and the perpendicular b a, a circle o m p is drawn and the acute angle divided equally with the compass so that the angle of incidence b a e lies between the two equal angles o a m and p a n, upon the semicircle o L p. The reflected line is then carried out with the compass step by step.
Marginal semicircle: a rule for the reflected ray
The marginal construction raises perpendiculars b h and f K on the line f g, encloses the angle f c d with a curve, and tests whether the compass-measured curve a f meets the end of the circle's diameter at e; if not, a corrective rule built from an equal semicircle p o is given.
