Does infrared go through mirrors?

Question

two first answers: are they getting absorbed or reflected

Answer 1

usually not

Answer 2

Some will, most are reflected.

Answer 3

It depends on the mirror.  There are mirrors that are specifically made to transmit IR while reflecting visible light.  When you say 'mirror' you have to include what wavelengths of light it is a mirror for.  If it is a mirror of IR, then IR gets reflected by definition.  If it is a mirror for visible, then IR can either get reflected, transmitted, or absorbed depending on the material the mirror is made of.

If, by mirror, you mean a common mirror like the one in your bathroom, then IR will get reflected.  But one thing you might not realize is that bathroom mirrors are made by spraying metal on the backside of a piece of glass.  If the IR were to hit the metal directly, it would reflect off of the metal.  But the way a bathroom mirror works, the light has to pass through the glass to get to the metal.  And most glass is fairly reflective to IR.  So the IR will reflect off of the glass part of the mirror instead of the metal part.  Visible light, on the other hand, passes through the glass and reflects off the metal.

Answer 4

NO, reflected

Answer 5

no