Optics and Light Flashcards

Plane Mirrors:

• Produce virtual images that are upright and the same size as the object.

• The image appears to be located behind the mirror at a distance equal to the object's distance from the mirror.

Concave Mirrors:

• Light converges after reflecting off a concave mirror.

• Can form both real and virtual images, depending on the object's position relative to the focal point.

• If the object is beyond the focal point, a real, inverted image is formed.

• If the object is inside the focal point, a virtual, upright image is formed.

Convex Mirrors:

• Convex mirrors diverge light rays, creating virtual, upright, and smaller images.

• The image formed by a convex mirror is always virtual, regardless of the object's position.

• Often used in applications where a wide field of view is needed, such as rearview mirrors in cars.

Parabolic Mirrors:

• Parabolic mirrors are curved mirrors shaped like a parabola.

• They have the property of focusing parallel rays of light to a single point (the focal point) or, conversely, creating parallel rays from a source placed at the focal point.