Images & Light Rays
We will use the law of reflection and the geometry of light rays to predict the location and characteristics of images formed by mirrors.
Objects & Images
An object is the actual item that you see with your unaided eyes.
An image is the likeness of an object as seen in a mirror.
An image can be described by defining four characteristics (SALT):
Size – the ratio of image size to object
size. An image can appear bigger, smaller or the same size as the object.
Attitude – whether the image is oriented the same way as the object (upright) or upside down (inverted).
Location – the distance between the
image and the mirror. An image can appear closer, farther or the same distance with respect to the mirror's surface.
Type – whether the image is real (actually light rays converge – image appears on a screen) or virtual.
Question of the Day #9: Describe the characteristics (SALT) for an image created by your bathroom mirror.
