Which of the following surfaces would result in diffuse reflection?

Options

A. Plane mirror
B. Still water in a lake
C. Clean, polished steel plate
D. Wooden bark of a tree

Answer

To determine which surface would result in diffuse reflection, we need to understand what diffuse reflection is and how it differs from regular reflection.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Define Diffuse Reflection**:
- Diffuse reflection occurs when light hits a rough surface and is scattered in many directions. This scattering happens because the surface is not smooth, causing the incident light rays to reflect at various angles.

2. **Identify Characteristics of Surfaces**:
- Regular Reflection: This occurs on smooth surfaces where light reflects at a consistent angle, such as mirrors or calm water.
- Diffuse Reflection: This occurs on rough surfaces where light scatters in multiple directions.

3. **Analyze the Given Options**:
- **Option 1: Surface of a parallel mirror**: This is a smooth surface, resulting in regular reflection.
- **Option 2: Still water in a lake**: When the water is still, it acts like a mirror, leading to regular reflection.
- **Option 3: Clean and polished steel plate**: This is also a smooth surface, resulting in regular reflection.
- **Option 4: Wooden bark of a tree**: This surface is rough, which would cause the light to scatter, resulting in diffuse reflection.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Among the options provided, the wooden bark of a tree is the only surface that would result in diffuse reflection due to its rough texture.

### Final Answer:
The surface that would result in diffuse reflection is the **wooden bark of a tree**.

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