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Reflectivity is a fundamental property of a surface that describes how much incident electromagnetic radiation it reflects. It is typically expressed as a fraction or percentage of the incident radiation that is reflected. The remaining portion of the incident radiation is either absorbed by the material or transmitted through it. Reflectivity is dependent on several factors, including the material's composition, its surface texture, the wavelength of the incident radiation, and the angle of incidence.

For opaque materials, reflectivity is equal to one minus the absorptivity. For transparent or translucent materials, transmissivity also plays a role. Different materials have vastly different reflectivity values across the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, shiny metals like silver and aluminum have high reflectivity in the visible and infrared regions, making them useful for mirrors and thermal insulation. Dark, matte surfaces, conversely, tend to absorb more radiation and have low reflectivity.

In practical applications, reflectivity is a critical parameter in fields such as optics, remote sensing, and material science. In optics, it determines the performance of lenses, mirrors, and coatings. In remote sensing, the reflectivity of Earth's surface features (like vegetation, water, and soil) is measured by satellites and aircraft to distinguish between different types of terrain and monitor environmental changes. Understanding and controlling reflectivity is essential for designing efficient solar cells, effective camouflage, and advanced optical instruments.