3.16 construct ray diagrams to illustrate the formation of a virtual image in a plane mirror

3.16 construct ray diagrams to illustrate the formation of a virtual image in a plane mirror

Types of images:

Virtual images: Image through which the rays of light don’t not actually pass is called virtual image. Example: Image formed in the mirror. Virtual images cannot be produced on a screen.

Real images: Images created with rays of light actually passing through them are called real images. Example: cinema screen.

Properties of an image in a plane mirror

• The image is as far behind the mirror as the object is in front
• The is the same size as the object
• The image is virtual – that is, it cannot be produced on a screen
• The image is laterally inverted – that is, the left side and right side of the image appear to be interchanged.

Constructing ray diagrams

Things we include in ray diagrams of a plain mirror: object, observer’s eye or some indication, plane mirror, image and rays passing object and image.