Curved Mirrors

Curved Mirrors Review

Principle axis

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

Center of curvature

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

Vertex

 the point on the mirror's surface where the principal axis meets the mirror

Focal Point

midway between the vertex and the center of curvature is a point

Focal Length

 the distance from the mirror to the focal point

Aberration

A inherent defect of spherical mirrors that does not focus all light rays to a precise point, particularly those along the edges

Concave Mirror

converging mirror

silvered inside the curved surface

Expanded Rules for the Laws of Reflection for Concave Mirrors

• Any incident ray passing through the focal point on the way to the mirror will travel parallel to the principal axis upon reflection

• Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis on the way to the mirror will pass through the focal point upon reflection.

LOST (in reference to the image)

• Location

• Orientation

• Size

• Type

Concave Mirror

An object is located past the center of curvature

• L- the image will appear b/w the center of curvature and the focal point

• O- the image will be inverted

• S- the image will be smaller

• T- the image is real

Concave Mirror

Object located at the center of curvature

• L- the image will appear at the center of curvature

• O- the image will be inverted

• S- the image will be the same size

• T- the image is real

Concave Mirror

Object located between the center of curvature and the focal point

• L- the image will appear beyond the center of curvature

• O- the image will be inverted

• S- the image will be magnified

• T- the image is real

Concave Mirror

An object located at the focal point

• No image

Concave Mirror

An object in front of the focal point

• L- the image will appear beyond the vertex

• O- the image will be upright

• S- the image will be magnified

• T- the image is virtual

Convex Mirror

• Diverging mirror- incidence rays hit the mirror and reflection rays diverge

• silvered on the outside of the curved surface

Expanded Rules for the Laws of Reflection for Convex Mirrors

• An incident ray parallel to the principal axis will extend to the focal point of the mirror

• An Incidence ray that crosses through the focal point will reflect parallel to the principal axis

Image formation of Convex Mirrors

• ALWAYS

• virtual

• upright

• smaller