Talha's Physics Academy
Geometrical Optics - Spherical Mirrors
Define Spherical mirrors and its types.
Spherical Mirrors
"A spherical mirror is a mirror whose reflecting surface is a part of a hollow sphere of glass or plastic."
Types of Spherical Mirrors
There are two primary types of spherical mirrors:
- Concave Mirror (Converging Mirror)
- Convex Mirror (Diverging Mirror)
1. Concave Mirror
"A spherical mirror in which the inner hollow side of the surface acts as the reflecting surface (and the outer bulging surface is polished/silvered) is called a concave mirror."
Figure: Concave Mirror converging parallel rays of light.
Key Properties of Concave Mirrors:
- The outer bulging side is polished and silvered.
- Reflection of light occurs from its inner hollow surface.
- They converge parallel rays of light to a single principal focus point (hence called converging mirrors).
- They are capable of forming both real and virtual (imaginary) images depending on the object's position.
2. Convex Mirror
"A spherical mirror in which the outer bulging side acts as the reflecting surface (and the inner hollow side is polished/silvered) is called a convex mirror."
Figure: Convex Mirror diverging parallel rays of light.
Key Properties of Convex Mirrors:
- The inner hollow side is polished and silvered.
- Reflection of light occurs from its outer bulging surface.
- They diverge parallel rays of light outward so they appear to come from a focal point behind the mirror (hence called diverging mirrors).
- They form virtual, erect, and diminished images of real objects for all positions.
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