What color is a mirror?

Clear...it's the silver lining in the back that makes it reflective and why vampires can't see their reflection

(06-28-2014 11:22 PM)Laettners Legacy Wrote:  Clear...it's the silver lining in the back that makes it reflective and why vampires can't see their reflection

Remember there is no such thing as a perfect mirror on earth. All mirrors that we know of absorb some light.

Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

(06-29-2014 10:06 AM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

Unless it's a 2 way mirror. You only see through one side - unless both rooms are well lit. That always defeats the purpose of the 2 way mirror, for some strange reason.

(06-29-2014 10:06 AM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

Let's clear up the definition of "mirror."

1.
(of a reflective surface) show a reflection of.

I can tell you that clear and silver are not the correct answer.

Also, a perfect mirror is a mirror that does not absorb any light. It reflects all light. Domestic mirrors, like the ones in your bathroom absorb some light.

(06-29-2014 10:37 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:06 AM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

Unless it's a 2 way mirror. You only see through one side - unless both rooms are well lit. That always defeats the purpose of the 2 way mirror, for some strange reason.

I thought those were called one-way windows.

(06-29-2014 05:30 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:37 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:06 AM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

Unless it's a 2 way mirror. You only see through one side - unless both rooms are well lit. That always defeats the purpose of the 2 way mirror, for some strange reason.

I thought those were called one-way windows.

A one way mirror is one that only works one way as a normal mirror.

A 2 way mirror is reflective either way, or a window to either side, depending on the light. The darker room can see through, and the well lit room shows it as a mirror. But if you reverse the lighting, you reverse the mirror effect. That's why they're called 2 way mirrors.

An object is the color or colors that it reflects...not absorbs.

It depends on the substance that the mirror is made from and the light that you shine on the mirror.

(06-29-2014 06:12 PM)ODUgradstudent Wrote:  It depends on the substance that the mirror is made from and the light that you shine on the mirror.

If it a perfect mirror, the substance is irrelevant. Natural light emits all colors on the spectrum.

(06-28-2014 08:58 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  What color is a mirror?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mirror?s=t

IMO, that is a very open ended question.

A piece of clear glass can be a mirror.

Still waters can be a mirror.

You don't necessarily have to have glass with a sheet of reflective material behind it.

So technically the color of a mirror could be anything.

(06-29-2014 06:34 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 06:12 PM)ODUgradstudent Wrote:  It depends on the substance that the mirror is made from and the light that you shine on the mirror.

If it a perfect mirror, the substance is irrelevant. Natural light emits all colors on the spectrum.

Well that's the point, there is no such thing as a perfect mirror so the substance defines the reflective properties of the mirror.

If you are considering a perfect mirror then it's the color of the incident light. Natural light however does not emit all colors equally and it is the proportion of each frequency of light that gives you the color. If you are saying that you shine white light on a perfect mirror then the color of the mirror is white.

(06-29-2014 08:16 PM)ODUgradstudent Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 06:34 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 06:12 PM)ODUgradstudent Wrote:  It depends on the substance that the mirror is made from and the light that you shine on the mirror.

If it a perfect mirror, the substance is irrelevant. Natural light emits all colors on the spectrum.

Well that's the point, there is no such thing as a perfect mirror so the substance defines the reflective properties of the mirror.

If you are considering a perfect mirror then it's the color of the incident light. Natural light however does not emit all colors equally and it is the proportion of each frequency of light that gives you the color. If you are saying that you shine white light on a perfect mirror then the color of the mirror is white.

You are correct if it is a perfect mirror, so you got half of the answer correct. It emits all colors and is white. However, the mirrors we encounter are no perfect and emit another specific color.

(06-29-2014 05:40 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:30 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:37 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:06 AM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

Unless it's a 2 way mirror. You only see through one side - unless both rooms are well lit. That always defeats the purpose of the 2 way mirror, for some strange reason.

I thought those were called one-way windows.

A one way mirror is one that only works one way as a normal mirror.

A 2 way mirror is reflective either way, or a window to either side, depending on the light. The darker room can see through, and the well lit room shows it as a mirror. But if you reverse the lighting, you reverse the mirror effect. That's why they're called 2 way mirrors.

I know how they work, I just never heard them called two way mirrors.

The color of a mirror is whatever colors it reflects then. Same with anything else.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color

(06-29-2014 09:25 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:40 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:30 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:37 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:06 AM)Monarch_Pride Wrote:  Um, yes, but if you can see through it, and the glass doesn't have an obvious tint, then it's clear.

Unless it's a 2 way mirror. You only see through one side - unless both rooms are well lit. That always defeats the purpose of the 2 way mirror, for some strange reason.

I thought those were called one-way windows.

A one way mirror is one that only works one way as a normal mirror.

A 2 way mirror is reflective either way, or a window to either side, depending on the light. The darker room can see through, and the well lit room shows it as a mirror. But if you reverse the lighting, you reverse the mirror effect. That's why they're called 2 way mirrors.

I know how they work, I just never heard them called two way mirrors.

We live and learn, eh?

(06-29-2014 10:27 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  The color of a mirror is whatever colors it reflects then. Same with anything else.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color

It's an interesting idea, perhaps philosophical too. At night time a red car is no longer red.

(06-29-2014 10:48 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 09:25 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:40 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:30 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:37 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Unless it's a 2 way mirror. You only see through one side - unless both rooms are well lit. That always defeats the purpose of the 2 way mirror, for some strange reason.

I thought those were called one-way windows.

A one way mirror is one that only works one way as a normal mirror.

A 2 way mirror is reflective either way, or a window to either side, depending on the light. The darker room can see through, and the well lit room shows it as a mirror. But if you reverse the lighting, you reverse the mirror effect. That's why they're called 2 way mirrors.

I know how they work, I just never heard them called two way mirrors.

We live and learn, eh?

It’s probably a regional thing.

Like how some parts of the country say “Crank Call” while others use “Prank Call”

(06-30-2014 06:02 AM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 10:48 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 09:25 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:40 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-29-2014 05:30 PM)AngryAphid Wrote:  I thought those were called one-way windows.

A one way mirror is one that only works one way as a normal mirror.

A 2 way mirror is reflective either way, or a window to either side, depending on the light. The darker room can see through, and the well lit room shows it as a mirror. But if you reverse the lighting, you reverse the mirror effect. That's why they're called 2 way mirrors.

I know how they work, I just never heard them called two way mirrors.

We live and learn, eh?

It’s probably a regional thing.

Like how some parts of the country say “Crank Call” while others use “Prank Call”

Like soda, pop, and soda pop. Or sack, bag, and poke. There are a million such examples.