Areflectionwill move all points of an image across a line of symmetry so that each point is the same distance from each side of the line of symmetry.  Just as a mirror shows your image "back to front" then a reflection will 'flip' the figure over the axis of symmetry,  but will not change the size or shape of the figure.
 
 

A dilation (or geometric transformation) will change the size of a figure as the transformation causes the image to be distorted by stretching or shrinking the figure being transformed.

A rotation of a specific number of degrees about a fixed point is a transformation which,  sometimes,  may be accomplished by alternate means.  A rotation of 180^o about the point (0, 0),  for example,  will produce the same effect as a reflection across the x axis followed by another across the y axis. Rotations do not change the shape or size of a figure.

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