02. Mirror

Plane Mirror

A mirror with a flat surface.

Image formed by a plane mirror

Always virtual, upright, and the same size as the object.

Laterally reversed.

What is the orientation of an image produced by a plane mirror?

Vertex (V)

The middle portion of a mirror.

Center of Curvature (C)

The center of the sphere of which the curved mirror is a part.

Radius of Curvature

The distance from the Center of Curvature (C) to the Vertex (V).

Focus or Focal Point (F)

The point where parallel rays meet after reflection.

Focal Length (f)

The distance from the Focus (F) to the Vertex (V).

Image Formed: Real, Inverted, and Smaller

Image Location: Between C and F

Concave Mirror: Object Location is Beyond C

Image Formed: Real, Inverted, Equal size

Image Location: At C

Concave Mirror: Object at C

Image Formed: Real, Inverted, and Larger.

Image Location: Beyond C

Concave Mirror: Object within C and F

Image Formed: No image formed at a finite distance; reflected rays are parallel. Image Location: At infinity.

Concave Mirror: Object at F

Image Formed: Virtual, Upright, and Larger
Image Location: Behind the mirror

Concave Mirror: Object within F and V

Image Formed: Virtual, Upright, and Smaller
Image Location: Behind the mirror, between F and V

Convex Mirror: Object anywhere in front of the mirror

What is the formula for magnification using image and object heights?

M = h_image / h_object

What is the formula for magnification using image and object distances?

M = -d_image / d_object

What is the formula for the mirror equation?

1/f = 1/do + 1/di