Questions and Answers
What is the radius of curvature of a plane mirror?
What is the orientation of the image formed by a plane mirror?
What is the size of the image formed by a plane mirror compared to the object?
What happens to the left and right sides of the object in the image formed by a plane mirror?
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What is the purpose of a ray diagram in the context of a plane mirror?
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What is true about the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection in a plane mirror?
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What is the type of image formed by a plane mirror?
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What is the main characteristic of the reflection of light by a plane mirror?
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What is the nature of the image formed by a plane mirror?
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What is the distance of the image from the mirror compared to the distance of the object from the mirror?
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What is the formula that relates the object distance, image distance, and focal length of a plane mirror?
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What is one of the scientific applications of plane mirrors?
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What is a common use of plane mirrors in daily life?
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Study Notes
Plane Mirror
Characteristics
- A plane mirror is a flat, smooth surface that reflects light
- It is a type of spherical mirror with an infinite radius of curvature
- The mirror's surface is perpendicular to the incident light rays
Image Formation
- When light rays from an object fall on a plane mirror, they are reflected back to form an image
- The image formed by a plane mirror is:
- Virtual (cannot be projected on a screen)
- Upright (same orientation as the object)
- Same size as the object
- Laterally inverted (left and right sides are swapped)
Mirror Formula
- Not applicable to plane mirrors since the radius of curvature is infinite
Ray Diagrams
- Used to illustrate the formation of images in plane mirrors
- Consist of:
- Incident rays from the object
- Reflected rays from the mirror
- Image formed by the intersection of reflected rays
Applications
- Used in:
- Everyday applications (e.g., dressing mirrors, rearview mirrors)
- Scientific instruments (e.g., telescopes, spectrometers)
- Optical systems (e.g., periscopes, laser systems)
Important Concepts
- Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection
- The normal to the mirror surface bisects the angle between the incident and reflected rays
Plane Mirror
Characteristics
- Has a flat, smooth surface that reflects light
- Is a type of spherical mirror with an infinite radius of curvature
- Its surface is perpendicular to incident light rays
Image Formation
- Light rays from an object are reflected back to form a virtual image
- The image is upright and same size as the object, but laterally inverted
- The image cannot be projected on a screen
Mirror Formula
- There is no mirror formula applicable to plane mirrors due to infinite radius of curvature
Ray Diagrams
- Used to illustrate image formation in plane mirrors
- Consist of incident rays, reflected rays, and the image formed by the intersection of reflected rays
Applications
- Used in everyday applications like dressing mirrors and rearview mirrors
- Used in scientific instruments like telescopes and spectrometers
- Used in optical systems like periscopes and laser systems
Important Concepts
- Angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection
- The normal to the mirror surface bisects the angle between incident and reflected rays
Plane Mirror
Definition and Characteristics
- A flat, smooth, and polished surface that reflects light without changing its direction or magnitude
- Reflects light without changing its direction or magnitude
- Forms a virtual image, which appears to be behind the mirror
- Laterally inverts the image, meaning left becomes right and right becomes left
- Produces an image of the same size as the object
- The distance of the image from the mirror is the same as the distance of the object from the mirror
Image Formation
- Object distance is the distance between the object and the mirror
- Image distance is the distance between the mirror and the image
- Mirror formula: 1/f = 1/do + 1/di, where f is infinity for a plane mirror
Uses of Plane Mirrors
- Commonly used in daily life for personal grooming, decoration, and other purposes
- Used in various scientific instruments, such as telescopes, spectroscopes, and lasers
- Used in optical instruments, such as periscopes, binoculars, and cameras
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Description
Learn about the characteristics and image formation of plane mirrors, including their smooth surface, infinite radius of curvature, and properties of the formed image.
