Identifying Mirrors by Reflecting Surface Direction
The primary way to distinguish between concave and convex mirrors is by observing the direction in which their reflecting surfaces are curved.
- Concave Mirror: The reflecting surface curves inward, like the inside of a spoon. This shape causes parallel light rays to converge at a focal point.
- Convex Mirror: The reflecting surface curves outward, like the back of a spoon. This shape causes parallel light rays to diverge, appearing to originate from a focal point behind the mirror.
Therefore, a mirror with a surface curving inward is concave, and one with a surface curving outward is convex.
Important Questions from Refraction and Reflection
Which of the following is NOT an example of refraction of light?
If the object distance and the image distance from a concave mirror is -20 cm, what is the focal length of the mirror?
Water drops shine on a lotus leaf due to:
A convex lens 'A' of focal length $10 \text{ cm}$ and another convex lens 'B' of focal length $20 \text{ cm}$ are kept along the same axis with a distance '$d$' between them. If a parallel beam of light falling on 'A' leaves 'B' as a parallel beam, then the distance '$d$' in $cm$ will be :
- A ray is incident at an angle of incidence $i$ on one surface of a small angle prism (with angle of prism $A$ and refractive index $\mu$). The ray emerges normally from the opposite surface, causing a total angle of deviation $\delta$ from its original path. Assuming all angles are small, the angle of incidence $i$ is nearly equal to:
