Characteristics of Image Formed by a Plane Mirror
There are several characteristics of an image formed by a plane mirror. These characteristics include:
- Laterally inverted: The image formed by a plane mirror is laterally inverted, which means that left appears right and right appears left.
- Virtual image: The image formed by a plane mirror is a virtual image, which means that it cannot be projected onto a screen.
- Upright: The image formed by a plane mirror is always upright, which means that it has the same orientation as the object being reflected.
- Equal in size: The image formed by a plane mirror is always the same size as the object being reflected.
- Same distance: The image formed by a plane mirror is always the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front of the mirror.
Laterally Inverted
When an object is reflected in a plane mirror, its image is laterally inverted. This means that the left side of the object appears on the right side of the image, and the right side of the object appears on the left side of the image. This is because the mirror reverses the direction of the light rays that are reflected off the object.
Virtual Image
The image formed by a plane mirror is a virtual image, which means that it cannot be projected onto a screen. This is because the image is formed by the reflection of light rays, rather than the actual convergence of light rays at a point. The image appears to be behind the mirror, but it is not actually there.
Upright
The image formed by a plane mirror is always upright, which means that it has the same orientation as the object being reflected. This is because the mirror does not change the orientation of the object, but only reflects it.
Equal in Size
The image formed by a plane mirror is always the same size as the object being reflected. This is because the mirror reflects all the light rays that hit it, preserving the size of the object in the image.
Same Distance
The image formed by a plane mirror is always the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front of the mirror. This is because the mirror reflects the light rays at the same angle as they hit the mirror, preserving the distance of the object in the image.