Question

what is the difference between a real image and virtual image?

Answer 1

A real image is the image formed where the light rays are focussed. A virtual image is one from which the light rays appear to come but don't actually come from that image like in a mirror. Converging lenses can be investigated by changing the distance between the object and the lens.

Answer 2

Real image is always inverted while virtual is erect.
A real image occurs where rays converge, whereas a virtual image occurs where rays only appear to converge.
Real images can be captured in a screen and virtual cannot.