IMAGE FORMATION
AND RAY DIAGRAMS
INVOLVING MIRRORS
Contents:
A. Laws of Reflection
B. Mirrors: Plane and Spherical
C. Mirrors: Formation of Images
D. Analytical & Magnification of Mirrors
Law of Reflection
The law of reflection states that the incident ray,
the reflected ray, and the normal to the surface of
the mirror all lie in the same plane. Furthermore,
the angle of reflection r is equal to the angle of
incidence i. Both angles are measured with
respect to the normal to the mirror.
Law of Reflection
Law of Reflection
Normal line
is the imaginary
line that is
perpendicular to the
mirror at the point
that the light ray
strikes the mirror
Law of Reflection
Angle of incidence
The angle between
the normal line and the
approaching or incident
ray
Specular vs. Diffuse
Reflection
Specular reflection
Reflection off of smooth surfaces such as
mirrors or a calm body of water
Diffuse reflection
Reflection off of rough surfaces such as
clothing, paper, and the asphalt roadway
Mirrors
usually made of plate glass
– one side has a metal
coating or any other
material that will serve as
the reflecting surface.
Three Kinds of Mirrors
1. Plane Mirrors
has a flat or planar reflective surface
In the past, plane mirrors were flat pieces
of copper, brass or precious metal
Three Kinds of Mirrors
1. Plane Mirrors
Modern versions usually have a thin piece
of plate glass
This protects the surface and keeps it from
tarnishing
Three Kinds of Mirrors
2. Concave Mirrors
the glass is curved inward, similar to the
inside of a spoon, and then coated
usually used as shaving mirrors
Three Kinds of Mirrors
3. Convex Mirrors
bulges outward, similar to the back of a
spoon
Image Formation in Mirrors
To see an object in a mirror, you
must sight at the image; and
when you do reflected rays of
light will travel from the mirror to
your eye along your line of sight.
Image Formation in Mirrors
The precise direction of the sight
line depends on the location of
the object, the location of the
person, and the type of mirror.
Image Formation in Mirrors
In fact, the image location is defined
as the location where it seems to
every observer as though light is
coming from.
Image Formation in Mirrors
Since all people see reflected rays of
light as they sight at an image in the
mirror, then the image location must
be the intersection point of these
reflected rays.
Image Formation in Mirrors
1. Plane Mirrors
produces a virtual image that is about the
same size of the object being reflected in
it
Image Formation in Mirrors
1. Plane Mirrors
Image Formation in Mirrors
2. Concave Mirrors
When the curvature of the image bounces
light to the focal point in front of it, it creates
an enlarged reflection
CONCAVE
1. Object BEYOND curvature = in front ,
inverted, demagnified and real
2. Object BETWEEN Focus and vertex =
other side, upright, magnified and virtual
Image Formation in Mirrors
3. Convex Mirrors
The result is a reduced
reflection – an image that
is a bit smaller than the
actual object and a bit
distorted
Image Formation in Mirrors
Convex Mirror
Ray Tracing Method
The Ray Tracing Method
• can be used to determine the image
location, orientation, size and type of
image formed
• depends on where objects are placed
at a given location in front of a mirror.
The Ray Tracing Method
• provide useful information about
object-image relationships
• fail to provide the information in a
quantitative form.
Analytical Method
Analytical Method
f represents a \distance" called the \focal
length", which can be positive or negative.
f is the distance from the
mirror/lens to the focal point.
Analytical Method
Analytical Method
Essential Terms
Principal axis
line passing through the center
of the sphere and attaching to
the mirror in the exact center of
the mirror
Essential Terms
Center of Curvature
The point in the center
of the sphere from which
the mirror was sliced
denoted by the letter C
Essential Terms
Vertex
The point on the mirror's
surface where the principal
axis meets the mirror
denoted by the letter A
the geometric center of the
mirror
Essential Terms
Focal Point
Midway between the
vertex and the center
of curvature
denoted by the letter
F
Essential Terms
Focal Length
the distance from the mirror
to the focal point
represented by f
Ray Tracing Conventions
• When the object, image, or focal point is on the
side of the mirror from which the light is coming,
the corresponding distance is considered
positive.
• If any of these points is behind the mirror,
the corresponding distance is negative.
(So the \focal length" is positive for
concave mirrors and negative for convex
mirrors.
Step-by-Step Procedure for Drawing
Ray Diagrams (Convex)
1.Pick a point on the top of the object and
draw two incident rays traveling towards the
mirror.
2. Once these incident rays strike the mirror,
reflect them according to the two rules of
reflection for convex mirrors.
3. Locate and mark the image of the top of
the object.
4. Repeat the process for the bottom of the
object.
Image Characteristics for
Convex Mirrors
Can convex mirrors ever produce real
images? Inverted images? Magnified
Images?
Unlike concave mirrors, convex mirrors
always produce images that share these
characteristics.
The location of the object does not affect
the characteristics of the image.
As such, the characteristics of the images
formed by convex mirrors are easily
predictable.
The Analytical & Magnification
Equation
The analytical equation:
Where:
f is the focal length
do is the object distance
di is the image distance
The magnification equation:
Where :
ho object height
hi image height
do object distance
di image distance
Example Problem
A 4.0-cm tall light bulb is placed a distance of
35.5 cm from a convex mirror having a focal length of
-12.2 cm. Determine the image distance and the image
size.
Like all problems in physics, begin by the identification
of the known information.
ho = 4.0 cm do = 35.5 cm f = -12.2 cm
• Next identify the unknown quantities that
you wish to solve for.
di = ??? hi = ???
• To determine the image height (hi), the
magnification equation is needed. Since three of
the four quantities in the equation (disregarding
the M) are known, the fourth quantity can be
calculated. The solution is shown below.
Ray Tracing for Concave
Two rules of reflection for concave mirrors
a) Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis on
the way to the mirror will pass through the focal point upon
reflection.
b) Any incident ray passing through the focal point on the
way to the mirror will travel parallel to the principal axis
upon reflection.
Step-by-Step Method for Drawing Ray
Diagrams (concave)
The method is applied to the task of drawing
a ray diagram for an object located beyond
the center of curvature (C) of a concave
mirror. Yet the same method works for
drawing a ray diagram for any object
location.
1. Pick a point on the top of the object and
draw two incident rays traveling towards
the mirror.
2. Once these incident rays strike the mirror,
reflect them according to the
two rules of reflection for concave mirrors.
3. Mark the image of the top of the object.
4. Repeat the process for the bottom of the
object.
Ray Diagram for the Formation of a
Virtual Image
When light rays diverge after reflection,
a virtual image is formed.
As was done with plane mirrors, the
image location can be found by tracing
all reflected rays backwards until they
intersect.
Is there a possibility that a
virtual image is formed by the
use of concave mirror?
Special Case ???
L.O.S.T
Art of image description
Summarize object-image relationships
the characteristics of the image for any
given object location
L.O.S.T
L- represents the relative location (in front/beyond
the mirror
O- represents the orientation (either upright
or inverted)
S- represents the relative size (either magnified,
reduced or the same size as the object)
T- represents the type of image (either real or
virtual)
Object-image characteristics into five
general areas or points:
•Case 1: the object is located beyond the center of curvature
(C)
•Case 2: the object is located at the center of curvature (C)
•Case 3: the object is located between the center of
curvature (C) and the focal point (F)
•Case 4: the object is located at the focal point (F)
•Case 5: the object is located in front of the focal point (F)
Case 1: The object is located
beyond C
Image: Always be located
somewhere between the
center of curvature and the
focal point.
- inverted
- demagnified
- real
Case 2: The object is located
at C
Image: Also be located at
the center of curvature
- inverted
- the same as the
object size
- real
Case 3: The object is located
between C and F
Image: Located beyond the
center of curvature
(regardless of where exactly
the object is located
between the C and F)
- Inverted
- magnified
- real
Case 4: The object is located
at F
Image: No
image is
formed???
Case 5: The object is located
in front of F
Image: Always be located
somewhere on the opposite side
of the mirror (regardless of where
exactly in front of F the object is
located)
- upright image
- magnified
- virtual
Here are some things that always go
together for curved mirrors.
Real image <--> inverted image <--> di is
positive <--> M is negative
Virtual image <--> upright image <--> di is
negative <--> M is positive
Convex mirrors form only virtual images.
Concave mirrors form real images if do > f
and virtual images if do < f.
The type of image formed depends on the
position of the object.
Sample Problem :
A concave mirror has a radius of curvature of
20 cm. Find the location of the image for
object distances (a) 30cm, (b) 20cm, c) 10cm
and (d) 5cm.
Write the L.O.S.T for each ; and
Find also the magnification for each case.
Problem #2:
An object 2 cm in height is placed 3 cm in
front of a concave mirror. If the image is 5
cm in height and virtual, what is the focal
length of the mirror?
Solution:
Assignment:
Read about lenses;
•Types of lenses
•Image formation by lenses
•How is lens different from a mirror?
