Plane and

Spherical
Mirrors

The Laws of Reflection

1. The angle of
inci- dence iis
equal to the
angle of
reflection
r:
i i =

= rr

Air

reflectio
i r n

Wate
r

All ray angles are measured with respect to

normal N.
3. The rays
2. The incident ray,
are
the reflected ray,
completel
and the normal N
y
all lie in the same
reversible.
plane.

The Plane Mirror

A mirror is a highly polished surface
that forms images by uniformly
reflected light.
Note:
images
appear to
be equidistant
behind
mirror and
are right-left
reversed.

Definitions
Object distance: The straight-line
distance do from the surface of a mirror
to
the object.
Image
distance: The straight-line
distance di from the surface of a mirror
to the image.
Objec
Image
Object
Image
t
=
distanc
distanc
e
e
do = di
i = r

do

di

Real and Virtual

Real images and
objects are formed
by actual rays of
light. (Real images
can be projected
on a screen.)
Virtual images and
objects do not
really exist, but
only seem to be at
a location.

Light
rays

Real
object

No light

Virtual
image

Virtual images are on

the opposite side of the
mirror from the
incoming rays.

Image of a Point Object

Plane
mirror

Real
object

do

do = di

di

Virtual
image

Image
Image appears
appears to
to be
be at
at same
same
distance
distance behind
behind mirror
mirror regardless
regardless of
of
viewing
viewing angle.
angle.

Image of an Extended
Object
Plane
mirror

do

do = di

di Virtual
image

Image
Image of
of bottom
bottom and
and top
top of
of guitar
guitar
shows
shows forward-back,
forward-back, right-left
right-left
reversals.
reversals.

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

A spherical mirror
is formed by the
inside or outside
surfaces of a
sphere.

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

A spherical
mirror is a
mirror in the
shape of a
small section of
the surface of a
sphere.

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

Aperture
the portion of
the hollow
spherical
surface from
which the
mirror
reflections take
place

Aperture

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

Center of
Curvature
the point in
the center of
the sphere from
which the
mirror was
sliced

Center of
Curvature

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

Principal Axis
the line
passing through
the center of
the sphere and
attaching to the
mirror in the
exact center of
the mirror

Principal Axis

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

Vertex
the point on
the mirror's
surface where
the principal
axis meets the
mirror. It is the
geometric
center of the
mirror

Verte
x

Terms for Spherical Mirrors

Radius of
Curvature
the distance
from the vertex
to the center of
curvature

C
R

Radius of
Curvature

The Focus of a Concave

Mirror
The focus F for a concave mirror is the point
at which all parallel light rays converge.
Incident parallel
Rays

axis

i
r
F

Focus

For
For objects
objects lolocated
cated at
at
infinity
infinity,, the
the
real
real image
image
appears
appears at
at the
the
focus
focus since
since
rays
rays of
of light
light
are
are almost
almost
parallel.
parallel.

The Focal Length f of a

Mirror
Incident parallel
ray

C
axis
Focus

V
f

The focal length,

f

Since i = r, we
find that F is
mid- way
between V and
C; The
we find:
focal
length f is:

R
f
2

The
The focal
focal length
length ff is
is equal
equal to
to half
half the
the
radius
radius RR

The Focal Length f of a

Mirror
Incident parallel
ray

C
axis

r
F

h
f

Concave
Mirror
vs
Convex Mirror

Concave

Convex

caved
caved in
in

flexed
flexed
out
out

The Focus of a Concave

Mirror
The focus F for a concave mirror is the point
at which all parallel light rays converge.
Incident parallel
Rays

axis

Focus

For
For objects
objects lolocated
cated at
at
infinity
infinity,, the
the
real
real image
image
appears
appears at
at the
the
focus
focus since
since
rays
rays of
of light
light
are
are almost
almost
R
f
parallel.
parallel.
2

The Focus of a Convex

Mirror
The focus for a convex mirror is the point F
from which all parallel light rays diverge.
Incident
Rays

Virtual
focus;
reflected
R
rays
diverge.

axis

F
Reflected
Rays

R
f
2

Concave

Convex

caved
caved in
in

flexed
flexed
out
out

Real
Real focus
focus

Virtual
Virtual
focus
focus

Converging and Diverging

Mirrors

Concave mirrors and

converging parallel rays
will be called converging
mirrors from this point
onward.
Converging
Mirror

Convex mirrors and

diverging parallel rays
will be called diverging
mirrors from this point
onward.
Divergin
g Mirror

C
Concav
e

Conve
x

Ray Diagramming
for Concave and
Convex Mirrors

Ray
Ray 1:
1: Draw
Draw aa ray,
ray, starting
starting from
from the
the
top
top of
of the
the object,
object, parallel
parallel to
to the
the
principal
principal axis
axis and
and then
then through
through f
f
after
after reflection..
reflection..
Ray
Ray 2:
2: Draw
Draw aa ray,
ray, starting
starting from
from the
the
top
top of
of the
the object,
object, through
through the
the focal
focal
point,
point, then
then parallel
parallel to
to the
the principal
principal axis
axis
after
after reflection..
reflection..
Ray
Ray 3:
3: Draw
Draw aa ray,
ray, starting
starting from
from the
the
top
top of
of the
the object,
object, through
through C,
C, then
then back
back
upon
upon itself..
itself..

Ray
Ray 1:
1: Draw
Draw aa ray,
ray, starting
starting from
from the
the
top
top of
of the
the object,
object, parallel
parallel to
to the
the
principal
principal axis
axis and
and then
then through
through f
f
after
after reflection..
reflection..
Ray 1

Convex
mirror

Object

Ray
Ray 2:
2: Draw
Draw aa ray,
ray, starting
starting from
from the
the
top
top of
of the
the object,
object, through
through the
the focal
focal
point,
point, then
then parallel
parallel to
to the
the principal
principal axis
axis
after
after reflection..
reflection..
Convex
Ray
mirror
1
Ray
2

Image

Ray
Ray 3:
3: Draw
Draw aa ray,
ray, starting
starting from
from the
the
top
top of
of the
the object,
object, through
through C,
C, then
then back
back
upon
upon itself..
itself..
Ray
3

Ray 1

Ray 2

F
Image

Convex
mirror

Concave vs Convex
Ray
Ray 1:
1: AA ray
ray parallel
parallel to
to mirror
mirror axis
axis
passes
passes through
through the
the focal
focal point
point of
of aa
concave
concave mirror
mirror or
or appears
appears to
to come
come
from
from the
the focal
focal point
point of
of aa convex
convex mirror.
mirror.
Ray
1
C
Objec
t

Concave
mirror

Conve
x
mirror
F
C

Ray
1

Objec
t

Concave vs Convex
Ray
Ray 2:
2: AA ray
ray passing
passing through
through the
the focus
focus
of
of aa concave
concave mirror
mirror or
or proceeding
proceeding
toward
toward the
the focus
focus of
of aa convex
convex mirror
mirror is
is
reflected
reflected parallel
parallel to
to the
the mirror
mirror axis.
axis.
Ray
1

Ray
2 F

Image

Concave
mirror

Conve
x
mirror
C

Ray
1

Image

Ray
2

Concave vs Convex
Ray
Ray 3:
3: AA ray
ray that
that proceeds
proceeds along
along aa
radius
radius is
is always
always reflected
reflected back
back along
along its
its
original
original path.
path.
Ray
1

Ray
3

Ray
2

C
Concav
e
mirror

F
Ray
3

C
Conve
x
mirror

Image

Ray
1
Ray
2

Ray
1

Ray
3

Ray
2

F
Ray
3

Ray
1
Ray
2

Formed at the
intersection of the
actual reflected
rays
Formed at the
intersection of the
extension of
reflected rays

Now
Now try
try to
to draw
draw the
the
ray
ray diagram
diagram of
of 5
5
cases
cases of
of Concave
Concave
Mirror
Mirror

Image Construction
Summary:
Ray
Ray 1:
1: AA ray
ray parallel
parallel to
to mirror
mirror axis
axis
passes
passes through
through the
the focal
focal point
point of
of aa
concave
concave mirror
mirror or
or appears
appears to
to come
come
from
from the
the focal
focal point
point of
of aa convex
convex mirror.
mirror.
Ray
Ray 2:
2: AA ray
ray passing
passing through
through the
the focus
focus
of
of aa concave
concave mirror
mirror or
or proceeding
proceeding
toward
toward the
the focus
focus of
of aa convex/concave
convex/concave
mirror
mirror is
is reflected
reflected parallel
parallel to
to mirror
mirror axis.
axis.
Ray
Ray 3:
3: AA ray
ray that
that proceeds
proceeds along
along aa
radius
radius is
is always
always reflected
reflected back
back along
along its
its
original path.

What
What did
did you
you
observe
observe in
in the
the
formation
formation of
of
images?
images?

Convex Mirror Imaging

Conve
x
mirror
C

Ray
1

Image

Ray
2

Ray
1

Conve
x
mirror
C

Image gets
larger as object
gets closer

All
All images
images are
are erect
erect,, virtual
virtual,, and
and
diminished
diminished.. Images
Images get
get larger
larger as
as object
object
approaches.
approaches.

Concave Mirror Imaging

Object Outside Center C
1. The image is
inverted; i.e.,
opposite of the
object orientation.
2. The image is real;
i.e., formed by
actual light rays in
front of mirror.
3. The image is
diminished in size;
i.e., smaller than the

Ray
1

Ray
2

C
Concav
e
mirror

F
Ray
3

Image
Image is
is
located
located
between
between CC and
and
FF

Concave Mirror Imaging

Object at the Center C
1. The image is
inverted; i.e.,
opposite of the
object orientation.
2. The image is real;
i.e., formed by
actual light rays in
front of mirror.
3. The image is the
same size as the
object.

Ray
1
Ray
2

F
Ray
3

Image
Image is
is
located
located at
at C,
C,
inverted.
inverted.

Concave Mirror Imaging

Object Between C and F
1. The image is
inverted; i.e.,
opposite of the
object orientation.
2. The image is real;
i.e., formed by
actual light rays in
front of mirror.
3. The image is
enlarged in size; i.e.,
larger than the

Ray
3

Ray
1

F
Ray
2

Image
Image is
is
outside
outside of
of the
the
center
center CC

Concave Mirror Imaging

Object at Focal Point
When
When the
the object
object
is
is located
located at
at the
the
focal
focal point
point of
of the
the
mirror,
mirror, the
the image
image
is
is not
not formed
formed (or
(or
itit is
is located
located at
at
infinity).
infinity).
The parallel reflected
rays never cross.

Ray
C
3

Ray
1

Reflected
rays are
parallel

Image
Image is
is located
located
at
at infinity
infinity (not
(not
formed).
formed).

Concave Mirror Imaging

Object Inside Focal Point
1. The image is erect;
i.e., same
orientation as the
object.
2. The image is
virtual; that is, it
seems to be
located behind
3. mirror.
The image is
enlarged; bigger
than the object.

C
F

Erect
and
enlarged

Virtua
l
image

Image
Image is
is
located
located behind
behind
the
the mirror
mirror

Observe the Images as

Object Moves Closer to
Mirror
RayRay
1 1
Ray
Ray
Ray
Ray
Ray
11
2
2
C3
C

C C C FF
F
F Virtua
Ray l
Erect
Reflected
Concav
Ray
Ray
3
and rays
are
image
e
3 2
enlarged
parallel
mirror

Summary
1. The angle of
inci- dence iis
equal to the
angle of
reflection
r:
i i =

= rr

Air

reflectio
i r n

Wate
r

All ray angles are measured with respect to

normal N.
3. The rays
2. The incident ray,
are
the reflected ray,
completel
and the normal N
y
all lie in the same
reversible.
plane.

Summary (Definitions)
Object distance: The straight-line
distance do from the surface of a mirror
to
the object.
Image
distance: The straight-line
distance di from the surface of a mirror
to
theimage:
image.An image formed by real
Real

light rays that can be projected on a

screen.
Virtual image: An image that appears to
be at a location where no light rays
reach.
Converging and diverging mirrors: Refer to
the reflection of parallel rays from surface
of mirror.

Summary (Cont.)
For plane mirrors, the object distance
equals the image distance and all images
are erect and virtual.
For converging mirrors and diverging
mirrors, the focal length is equal to onehalf the radius.
All images formed from convex mirrors
are erect, virtual, and diminished in size.
Except for objects located inside the focus
(which are erect and virtual), all images
formed by converging mirrors are real and
inverted.