Grade 10 AP Science - Optics - Images in Plane Mirrors

How do images in plane mirrors occur?

An image is created by the light rays that strike the mirror and are reflected into your eyes. The eye perceives the light rays as if they’ve travelled in straight lines no matter where they originally came from. The light rays appear to come from the “objects” located behind the mirror

Characteristics of images:

\-Lateral inversion

\-Virtual image

\-Real image

Lateral inversion

Images in plane mirrors are flipped horizontally compared to the object. Each letter is flipped and they are in reverse order. E.g. front of an ambulance

Virtual image

An image formed even though light does not actually arrive at or come from the image location. The extended light rays do not actually exist and so cannot form an image on a screen. Image formed on the backside of a mirror. E.g. image formed in the mirror when we stand in front of it

Real image

An image formed when reflected light rays converge and cross one another. This type of image can be projected on a screen because it is formed by actual light rays hitting it. Image formed on the same side of the object. E.g. movie screen

Ways to describe images:

**SALT**

\-Size

\-Attitude

\-Location

\-Type

Size

Is the image the same size as the object, or smaller or larger?

Attitude

How is the image oriented compared to the object, upright or inverted?

Location

Where is the image located with respect to the mirror and the object?

Type

Is the image real or virtual?

Describe images in a plane mirror with SALT

S- The image is the same size as the object

A- The image is laterally inverted

L- The image is the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front

T- The image is virtual

Types of curved mirrors:

\-Concave

\-Convex

Concave mirror

Reflective surface curves inwards

Convex mirror

Reflective surface curves outwards