Diffuse reflections and steering wheels

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From: Jhumki Basu (sjbasu@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu May 03 2001 - 19:06:59 PDT 

From: "Jhumki Basu" <sjbasu@hotmail.com>
Subject: Diffuse reflections and steering wheels
Date: Thu, 03 May 2001 19:06:59 
Message-ID: <F10KlwPqzreucnfpdSC0000f9d8@hotmail.com>

The Hewitt textbook says that light from the moon looks like a column when
it shines on water because the water surface is uneven and so the reflection
is diffuse.

I am confused because I think that a diffuse reflection means that one can
see the moon's reflection from many directions instead of just one
direction. I don't think that the concept of diffuse reflection explains why
the reflection looks like a column of light.

How would the moon's reflection appear if the water surface were very
smooth? Why does the reflection looks like a column? Why is the reflection
not more spread out?

On a separate note, does anyone know why steering wheels lock? Is the wheel
jamming? The axle?

Thanks!
Jhumki Basu
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