Why is the backwave not observed in the reflection of light according to the wave model?
**Wavefront** is locus of points in same phase, spherical from point source, plane at large distance because radius large, Huygens principle every point on wavefront acts as secondary source of wavelets, new wavefront envelope of secondary wavelets, allows prediction of new wavefront shape from known wavefront, explains reflection and refraction. The wave model assumes the amplitude of secondary wavelets is zero in the backward direction, though this is an ad-hoc assumption later justified by advanced wave theory. Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n,
Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Wavefront and Huygens Principle