WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Reflective Properties of Conic Sections

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number of rays
7
locator x-offset
0
ray length
10
locator y-offset
0
reflective curve
2
x
25
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2
y
16
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Conic sections, that is, ellipses, hyperbolas, and parabolas, all have special reflective properties. If the source of a signal is placed at one of the two focal points of an ellipse, the signal will be reflected to the other focal point. If the source is placed at one of the two focal points of a hyperbola, the signal will be reflected directly away from the other focal point. If the source is located at the one focus of a parabola, the signal will be reflected in lines parallel to the parabola's axis.