Concave Mirror Problems

1.

A small object is placed 50 cm from a concave mirror with a focal length of 20

cm.
a)
How far is the image from the mirror?
b)
Is the image on the same side of the mirror as the object?
c)
Is the image upright or inverted?
d)
Is the image real or virtual?
e)
If the object is 8 mm tall, how tall is the image?

2.

A 6.0 cm pin is located 20 cm from a 25 cm focal length concave mirror.

Determine the location, size, nature and orientation of the image of the pin.

3.

A light source 30 cm from a concave mirror on the lab bench produces an image
across the room on the wall, a distance of 10 metres away.
a) What is the focal length of the mirror?
b) Is the image inverted or upright?
c) If the filament is 25 mm across, how big is the image?

4.

A concave mirror produces a real, inverted image of an object. The image is half
the size of the object. If the object is 40 cm from the mirror, what is its focal
length?

5.

Concave mirrors can be used as for shaving or applying make up. The face must
be inside the focus. You hold a concave mirror, with a focal length of 40 cm,
about 30 cm from your face.
a)
Where is your image located?
b)
How much bigger than your face is the image?

6.

Find the focus

Object

Image
7. Find the focus
Image
Object

Convex Mirror
1. A convex mirror has a focal length of -10.8 cm. An object is
placed 32.7 cm from the mirror's surface. Determine the image
distance.

2. Determine the focal length of a convex mirror that produces an

image that is 16.0 cm behind the mirror when the object is 28.5 cm
from the mirror.

3. A 2.80-cm diameter coin is placed a distance of 25.0 cm from a

convex mirror that has a focal length of -12.0 cm. Determine the
image distance and the diameter of the image.

4. A focal point is located 20.0 cm from a convex mirror. An object is

placed 12 cm from the mirror. Determine the image distance.

Refraction Problems:
Reminder: n=c/v and c always equals 3.00 x 108 m/s
1. The speed of light in an unknown medium is measured to be
2.76 x 108 m/s.
a. What is the index of refraction of the medium?
b. Does it match any of the materials listed in your table

2. Optical fibers are generally composed of silica, with an index of

refraction around 1.44.
a. How fast does light travel in a silica fiber
b. How long will it take for that light to travel from Toronto to
Oakville (130 km)? Remember that speed is distancetime

Convex Mirror Answers

1. A convex mirror has a focal length of -10.8 cm. An object is
placed 32.7 cm from the mirror's surface. Determine the image
distance.
Answer: di = -8.1 cm
Use the equation 1 / f = 1 / do + 1 / di where f = -10.8 cm and
do = + 32.7 cm
Substitute and solve for di.
2. Determine the focal length of a convex mirror that produces an
image that is 16.0 cm behind the mirror when the object is 28.5 cm
from the mirror.
Answer: f = -36.6 cm
Use the equation 1 / f = 1 / do + 1 / di where do = 28.5 cm and
di = -16.0 cm
(Careful: image distances for convex mirrors are always
negative.)
Substitute and solve for f.

3. A 2.80-cm diameter coin is placed a distance of 25.0 cm from a

convex mirror that has a focal length of -12.0 cm. Determine the
image distance and the diameter of the image.
Answer: di = -8.1 cm and hi = 0.909 cm
Use the equation 1 / f = 1 / do + 1 / di where f = -12.0 cm and
do = +25.0 cm
Substitute and solve for di.
Then use hi / ho = - di / do where ho = 2.80 cm, do = +25 cm
and di = -8.1 cm
Substitute and solve for hi
4. A focal point is located 20.0 cm from a convex mirror. An object is
placed 12 cm from the mirror. Determine the image distance.
Answer: di = -7.5 cm
Use the equation 1 / f = 1 / do + 1 / di where f = - 20.0 cm
and do = +12.0 cm
(Careful: convex mirrors have focal lengths which are
negative.)
Substitute and solve for di.
Refraction answers:
1.

(a) The index is found to be

n = c/v = (3.00 x 108 m/s)/(2.76 x 108 m/s) = 1.09.
(b) This does not equal any of the indices of refraction listed in the table. It is
closest to air, which suggests it is some slightly denser gas.
2.The speed of light in this fiver is found to be v=c/n=3.00 x
108/1.44 = 2.08 x 108 m/s

b) the distance between these two cities is 130 km, or 1.3 x 10 5 m. Since speed

is distance x over time t, we find

t = x/v = (1.3 x 105 m)/(2.08 x 108 m/s) = 0.625 x 10-3 s. or 0.000625 s