What Is a Parabolic Dish?
A parabolic dish is a reflective instrument with a circular, parabolic shape that can collect or project different types of energy. Using the geometric principles of the parabola, the dish can efficiently both receive and reflect energy from distant sources. The parabolic dish can be found in a wide variety of products, such as reflecting telescopes, satellite dishes, microphones, and various lighting instruments, like car headlights and flashlights. They can also be used for functions such as increasing the strength of wireless Internet signals and solar cooking. Parabolic dishes are sometimes called parabolic deflectors or parabolic mirrors. The parabolic dish works by either collecting or refracting energy. This process is facilitated by an antenna that is usually found in the center of the dish, otherwise known as the vertex. The geometric properties of the parabola are as follows: when the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection are equal, this allows for incoming rays that
