Where will the image be formed?

In summary, the conversation discusses the formation of images in a plane mirror when light rays fall perpendicular to its surface. It is determined that there will be both a virtual image at +infinity and a real image at -infinity. However, this is a special case and normally a plane mirror only yields a virtual image. The conversation also brings up the concept of treating the plane mirror as a limiting case of a concave mirror with an infinite radius, which can lead to a change in the image position from - to + infinity.
  • #1
navneet9431
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Suppose light rays from an object fall perpendicular to the surface of the plane mirror.
Will the image be formed at +infinity(a virtual image) or -infinity(a real image)?

I will be thankful for help!
 

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  • #2
In your diagram, the virtual image will be at ##+ \infty## (plus infinity).
There will also be a real image at ##- \infty## (minus infinity).

However, these terms (real and virtual image) are normally used with images that converge without going to infinity.

Normally, a plano mirror will only yield a virtual image - one that appears behind the mirror.
But in your drawing, you are showing the image originating from minus infinity - which is a special case.
 
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  • #3
.Scott said:
But in your drawing, you are showing the image originating from minus infinity - which is a special case.
That's by treating the plane mirror as the limiting case a concave mirror with radius approaching infinity, I think. For a concave mirror with finite radius, there is an object distance where the image position hops from - to + ∞ (and for many other optical arrangements).
Hyperphysics has some good diagrams of what happens with concave mirrors - just extend the idea to a mirror with infinite r.
 

Related to Where will the image be formed?

1. Where will the image be formed if the object is placed in front of a convex lens?

The image will be formed on the opposite side of the lens from the object, and it will be real and inverted.

2. How does the distance between the object and the lens affect where the image is formed?

The distance between the object and the lens, also known as the object distance, affects the location of the image. The closer the object is to the lens, the further away the image will be formed.

3. Will the image be the same size as the object?

No, the image will not be the same size as the object. The size of the image is determined by the distance between the object and the lens, as well as the focal length of the lens.

4. Can the image be formed on the same side as the object?

No, in the case of a convex lens, the image will always be formed on the opposite side of the lens from the object.

5. How does the focal length of the lens affect the location of the image?

The focal length of the lens is a key factor in determining the location of the image. The shorter the focal length, the closer the image will be to the lens. Conversely, a longer focal length will result in a further distance between the lens and the image.

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