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1 Reflection from spherical mirrors
Reflection from spherical mirrors
Activity: Focal point of a concave/convex mirror
The diagram below depicts a concave mirror with its principal axis and its center of curvature (C).
Four incident rays are shown traveling parallel to the principal axis.
1. Construct normal lines for each of the four incident rays. (A line which passes through the
center of a circle will be perpendicular to the circle at its point of intersection. Thus, the
normal line for each of these incident rays passes through C.)
2. Measure the angle of incidence and use the law of reflection to construct four reflected rays
at the appropriate angle of reflection.

The next diagram depicts a convex mirror with its principal axis and its center of curvature (C). Four
incident rays moving parallel to the principal axis are shown.
1. Construct normal lines for each of the four incident rays.
2. Measure the angle of incidence and use the law of reflection to construct four reflected rays
at the appropriate angle of reflection.
3. For each reflected ray, construct extensions of the rays backwards behind the mirror until
they intersect the principal axis.


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2 Reflection from spherical mirrors
Can you identify the focal point from the above activity? Define focal point in your own words.





The focal length of concave/convex mirror having small aperture is half its radius of curvature.

Propose a rule of reflection for both concave and convex mirrors which would describe how
incident rays parallel to the principal axis would behave upon reflection.







Can you explain why concave mirrors are called converging mirrors and convex mirror are called as
diverging mirrors?






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3 Reflection from spherical mirrors
Activity
The diagrams below show three incident rays. For each diagram, draw the three corresponding
reflected rays on the diagrams. Place arrowheads upon all your rays.

Object is beyond the radius of curvature


Object is between the focal point and the mirror

From the activity identify three rules which describe the predictable reflection of three rays of
incident light for a concave mirror? Are these applicable for a convex mirror as well?







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4 Reflection from spherical mirrors
Activity: Image formation in a concave mirror
Place an object before a concave mirror for each of the following object positions shown below
and obtain its image. Measure the distance of the image from the mirror.
Note the location, orientation (upright or inverted), relative size (larger or smaller than object),
and the type of image (real or virtual) for each condition.
Draw ray diagrams for each condition and verify the results observed by you.

Case 1: Object is located at infinity.


Case 2: Object is located beyond the center of curvature.


Case 3: Object is located at the center of curvature.


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5 Reflection from spherical mirrors

Case 4: Object is located between the center of curvature and focal point.


Case 5: Object is located at the focal point.


Case 6: Object is located at between the focal point and the mirror.



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6 Reflection from spherical mirrors
Activity: Image formation in a convex mirror
Place an object before a convex mirror for each of the following object positions shown below and
obtain its image. Measure the distance of the image from the mirror.
Note the location, orientation (upright or inverted), relative size (larger or smaller than object),
and the type of image (real or virtual) for each condition.
Draw ray diagrams for each condition and verify the results observed by you.


Case 1: Object is at infinity (a very large distance from the mirror)


Case 2: Object is at infinity (a very large distance from the mirror)

Why are convex mirrors commonly used as rear-view mirrors in vehicles? And why do they
generally have objects in the mirror are closer than they appear inscribed on them?






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7 Reflection from spherical mirrors
Mirror formula and magnification

= distance of the image from the mirror.
= distance of the object from the mirror.
= focal length of the mirror.

Sign conventions