1. What is the reflection of an object with a plane mirror? 2. Why the image from the plane mirror is called virtual?

Question

A point of light source 'O' is placed in front of mirror MN. moving from point O, two rays,OA and OC are incident on the mirror as shown in fig. Draw perpendicular points A and C on the surface of mirror MN. Draw reflected rays at point A and C and mark them as AB and CD respectively. Extend them backward. They meet at a point, mark this point as I. point A is virtual image of object O. For our eyes placed at point E, these reflected rays appear to come from the point I. Since, the reflected rays do not meet at A but only appear to do so, we can say that the image is virtual. Virtual image cannot be obtained on screen.

1. What is the reflection of an object with a plane mirror?

2. Why the image from the plane mirror is called virtual?

3. Can the virtual image be found in the screen?

Answer 1

1. In the plane mirror the image is virtual.

2. The image which cannot be obtained on screen is called Virtual image. These images seem to form at a point but practically no image is formed at that point.

3. No, the virtual image can not be found on the screen.