Question

what kind of image made by a plane mirror

Answer 1

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A plane mirror always forms a virtual image (behind the mirror). The image and object are the same distance from a flat mirror, the image size is the same as the object size, and the image is upright.

Answer 2

Answer:

Two parallel mirrors can produce, in theory, an infinite number of images of an object placed off center between the mirrors. Three of these images are shown here. The front and back of each image is inverted with respect to its object. Note that the colors are only to identify the images. For normal mirrors, the color of an image is essentially the same as that of its object.

You may have noticed that image 3 is smaller than the object, whereas images 1 and 2 are the same size as the object. The ratio of the image height with respect to the object height is called magnification. More will be said about magnification in the next section.

Infinite reflections may terminate. For instance, two mirrors at right angles form three images, as shown in part (a) of (Figure). Images 1 and 2 result from rays that reflect from only a single mirror, but image 1,2 is formed by rays that reflect from both mirrors. This is shown in the ray-tracing diagram in part (b) of (Figure). To find image 1,2, you have to look behind the corner of the two mirrors.

Two mirrors can produce multiple images. (a) Three images of a plastic head are visible in the two mirrors at a right angle. (b) A single object reflecting from two mirrors at a right angle can produce three images, as shown by the green, purple, and red images.

Summary

A plane mirror always forms a virtual image (behind the mirror).

The image and object are the same distance from a flat mirror, the image size is the same as the object size, and the image is upright.

Conceptual Questions

What are the differences between real and virtual images? How can you tell (by looking) whether an image formed by a single lens or mirror is real or virtual?

Virtual image cannot be projected on a screen. You cannot distinguish a real image from a virtual image simply by judging from the image perceived with your eye.

Can you see a virtual image? Explain your response.

Can you photograph a virtual image?

Yes, you can photograph a virtual image. For example, if you photograph your reflection from a plane mirror, you get a photograph of a virtual image. The camera focuses the light that enters its lens to form an image; whether the source of the light is a real object or a reflection from mirror (i.e., a virtual image) does not matter.

Can you project a virtual image onto a screen?

Is it necessary to project a real image onto a screen to see it?

No, you can see the real image the same way you can see the virtual image. The retina of your eye effectively serves as a screen.

Devise an arrangement of mirrors allowing you to see the back of your head. What is the minimum number of mirrors needed for this task?

If you wish to see your entire body in a flat mirror (from head to toe), how tall should the mirror be? Does its size depend upon your distance away from the mirror? Provide a sketch.

The mirror should be half your size and its top edge should be at the level of your eyes. The size does not depend on your distance from the mirror.

Problems

Consider a pair of flat mirrors that are positioned so that they form an angle of 120. An object is placed on the bisector between the mirrors. Construct a ray diagram as in (Figure) to show how many images are formed.

Consider a pair of flat mirrors that are positioned so that they form an angle of 60. An object is placed on the bisector between the mirrors. Construct a ray diagram as in (Figure) to show how many images are formed.

By using more than one flat mirror, construct a ray diagram showing how to create an inverted image.

Glossary

plane mirrorplane (flat) reflecting surfaceimage distancedistance of the image from the central axis of the optical element that produces the imagemagnificationratio of image size to object sizeobject distancedistance of the object from the central axis of the optical element that produces its imagereal imageimage that can be projected onto a screen because the rays physically go through the imagevirtual imageimage that cannot be projected on a screen because the rays do not physically go through the image, they only appear to originate from the image

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Step-by-step explanation:

A plane mirror always forms a virtual image (behind the mirror).

The image and object are the same distance from a flat mirror, the image size is the same as the object size, and the image is upright.