Physics of Mirrors

Study Notes

Types of Mirrors:
- Plane Mirrors: Flat mirrors that reflect light, maintaining the image's original size and orientation.
- Spherical Mirrors: Curved mirrors that can converge or diverge light, used in applications like telescopes and magnifying glasses.
- Concave Mirrors: Curved inward, used to focus light and form real images.
- Convex Mirrors: Curved outward, used to diverge light and form virtual images.
Mirror Equation:
- 1/f = 1/do + 1/di, where:
  - f: Focal length of the mirror
  - do: Object distance
  - di: Image distance

Definition: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another with a different optical density.
Snell's Law:
- n1 sin(θ1) = n2 sin(θ2), where:
  - n1 and n2: Refractive indices of the two media
  - θ1 and θ2: Angles of incidence and refraction
Total Internal Reflection: When light hits a surface at a shallow angle, and is completely reflected back into the original medium.
Critical Angle: The minimum angle of incidence that results in total internal reflection.

Types of Mirrors: There are four main types of mirrors, each with unique characteristics.
Plane Mirrors: Reflect light, maintaining the image's original size and orientation, and are flat.
Spherical Mirrors: Curved mirrors that can converge or diverge light, used in applications like telescopes and magnifying glasses.
Concave Mirrors: Curved inward, used to focus light and form real images.
Convex Mirrors: Curved outward, used to diverge light and form virtual images.

1/f = 1/do + 1/di: The mirror equation relates the focal length of the mirror (f) to the object distance (do) and image distance (di).

Definition: Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another with a different optical density.
Snell's Law: The law states that n1 sin(θ1) = n2 sin(θ2), where n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of the two media, and θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction.
Total Internal Reflection: When light hits a surface at a shallow angle, it is completely reflected back into the original medium.
Critical Angle: The minimum angle of incidence that results in total internal reflection.

Reflection of light occurs when light hits a surface it cannot pass through, changing its direction and bouncing back.

Incident ray, reflected ray, and normal to the surface all lie in the same plane.
Angle of incidence (θi) equals angle of reflection (θr).
Distance of incident ray from normal equals distance of reflected ray from normal.

Surface roughness determines type of reflection (specular or diffuse).
Angle of incidence affects angle of reflection.
Surface material affects reflectivity, with different materials reflecting varying amounts of light.