Electromagnetic Reflection

Most recent answer: 05/16/2013

Q:
Most types of electromagnetic radiation don't reflect due to the high amounts of energy right? But what if it was possible to create a substance with a high enough Z# that the photons were redirected by thompson interactions and we make enough of this material , could you make a cone or something to atleast focus them?
- Charley (age 22 )
Midland, TX USA
A:
There's an infinite spectrum of possible E-M frequencies, so I have no idea what it would mean to say that 'most' frequencies reflect or not. It is true that rather high-frequency radiation can be reflected by high-Z materials. From your question it almost seems as if you're asking about the reflection of the high-frequency radiation from a fission bomb by the U-238 layers on the outside of a fusion bomb, redirecting the energy toward the fusion material. (No, that's not classified.)

Mike W.

(published on 05/16/2013)