A mirror is under normal circumstance used to reflect Electromagnetic radiation also known as photons (light) and in airport security or medical facilities, they use X-rays to detect anomalies inside objects or bodies to detect narcotics or injuries. However, I always wonder what if I add a mirror inside the luggage or put a mirror in front of me during scanning?
That in mind, how would an X-ray scanner see the mirror? Would it be invisible? I am sure I am not the first one to think of this, as a lot of security and criminals thought of this, however I never got an answer, so can someone tell me please?
If there are X-ray reflecting mirrors? Why don't Airport security ban these items and Mirrors all together? Would X-Ray mirror look like a normal mirror? Do they reflect visible light spectrum as well?
Best Answer
The thing that makes a mirror a mirror is a that it has a high reflectivity (and is very smooth of course, but that doesn't enter into this issue), but all optical properties including reflectivity are functions of wavelength.
The mirror is not reflective in the x-ray band, so it looks like a layer of glass (moderately dense) and a very thin layer of heavy metal (rather denser). It can be seen in the image but is in no way remarkable.
It will look just like any other thin layer of moderately dense material.