Askiitians Tutor Team
Last Activity: 5 Months ago
In a convex mirror, the nature of the image formed is virtual, diminished, and upright. Here are the key characteristics of an image formed by a convex mirror:
Virtual: The image formed by a convex mirror is virtual, which means it cannot be projected onto a screen. It appears to be behind the mirror, on the same side as the object. This virtual image is formed by the apparent divergence of light rays as they reflect off the mirror's curved surface.
Diminished (Smaller): The image formed in a convex mirror is always smaller than the actual object. This reduction in size is due to the way light rays diverge after reflection from the mirror's curved surface. The extent of reduction depends on the distance between the object and the mirror, with closer objects producing smaller images.
Upright: The image in a convex mirror is always upright, meaning it has the same orientation as the actual object. This is a distinctive feature of convex mirrors, as they cause light rays to diverge and do not converge to form a real inverted image.
Focal Point and Focal Length: Convex mirrors do not have a real focal point in the same way that concave mirrors do. Instead, they have a virtual focal point located behind the mirror. The focal length of a convex mirror is negative, and it is measured as the distance from the mirror's surface to the virtual focal point.
Ray Diagram: To illustrate the formation of the image in a convex mirror, you can use a ray diagram. Two key rays to consider are the parallel ray and the focal ray. The parallel ray from the object appears to reflect from the virtual focal point behind the mirror, and the diverging rays appear to originate from the virtual image location, creating an upright, diminished, and virtual image.
Convex mirrors are commonly used in various applications, such as side mirrors on vehicles, security mirrors, and in situations where a wide field of view and a smaller, upright image are desirable.