Using mirrors?

Well, last year in Physics I saw my teacher have a little cabinet with mirrors all around inside and a t12 florescent light at the top. just wondering, I might implement the idea, but will mirrors be a better reflector material than mylar? Or will it cause burn?

BTW my teacher said it was for sterilizing goggles when I asked if I could be it off of her. didnt work...

PICS:
Last one one the page:
Lab Storage & Furniture

http://www.steineronline.com/1/images/staticpage-uv-cabinet-onedoor.jpg

There's an exhaust at the top sides so yeah... Plus theres a lock.

No good, mirrors absorb light.

Gygax1974 said:

No good, mirrors absorb light.

Click to expand...

How do mirrors absorb light, I'm really confused on this one, i thought they reflected it.

Mirrors waste energy by reflecting only a small fraction of the light that falls on them.


When light, which, like radio waves, is a form of electromagnetic radiation, strikes a metallic mirror the electrons in the metal move just as they do when a radio signal strikes an antenna. Pushing electrons around takes energy, which dims the reflected image.

mogie said:

Mirrors waste energy by reflecting only a small fraction of the light that falls on them.


When light, which, like radio waves, is a form of electromagnetic radiation, strikes a metallic mirror the electrons in the metal move just as they do when a radio signal strikes an antenna. Pushing electrons around takes energy, which dims the reflected image.

Click to expand...

The mirrors still reflect light though, they dont absorb it.

I didn't say they did.

I never said you did. This is getting silly now, I dont have time for these childish games.

the greeks used mirrors and the sun to burn roman ships, so in my mind it must reflect light

They used their shields which were polished to shit..

Here is a post i started to ask the very same question.... https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/18861-mylar-vs-aluminum-foil-vs.html

Here is another by FDD... a little experiment he ran for our benefit. https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/8168-test.html

mirrors are bad...

mirrors reflect less light than flat white wall paint and are much more expensive.

Ok, sounds good guys/gals, thats for the replies. I will switch out my white paper interior with mylar tomorrow!

I think the question is the "type" of mirror. Probably the thickness and coating/material to it too.

If its a plane mirror, its flat and reflects light in one direction.

If it has a curve to it, it can focus or diffuse light.

If it has a diamond pattern to it(or other), it can reflect it in all different directions.

Yeah I learned in school that mirrors do reflect light but a lot of it is absorbed. I guess I should have said that mirrors do reflect some light and they absorb a percentage of light. Now there are different shapes and types of mirrors that have different qualities so some are better than others. But as a general rule mirrors are not that great for growing with and they are exspensive white paint is cheaper and better.

would be a good way to start a fire in your grow room it would make to much heat i think
its hard enough keeping your room cool as it is were as flat white only seems to reflect light.

UnEmploymentDude said:

Ok, sounds good guys/gals, thats for the replies. I will switch out my white paper interior with mylar tomorrow!

Click to expand...

You dont really have to bother with mylard unless your going to get the diamond pattern mylar. Normal mylar creases easily and can be quite thin. This can create hotspots and potentially burn your plants.

If you dont want to go down the diamond pattern mylar route, best bet is to just paint the walls white.

Oh no, I dont want to deal with paint. I'd end up making a mess anyway!

Thanks for that warning, I'll look for the diamond patterns!

Mirrors do reflect light but they also absorb light we did an experment that proved such in one of my university labs