Why do mirrors reverse left and right but not up and down?

In summary, mirrors do not reverse left-right or up-down, but rather front-back. This is because a mirror reflects based on the angle of reflection, not the orientation of the object. This is why when you are facing North, your mirror image appears to be facing South. The concept of Trimotio and Fineas is not related to the discussion of mirrors.
  • #1
ryan_kidz
1
0
why do mirrors reverse left and right but not up and down?

thank you very much.
Ryan.
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
Mirrors do not reverse up-down nor left-right. Your (up) head is always up and your right hand is always at right.

What a mirror reverse is front-back. If you are heading North, your image is heading south.
 
  • #3
A mirror can reflect 'upside down'---it just depends on the angle of reflection.
 
  • #4
From the Usenet Physics FAQ:

http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~dkoks/Faq/General/mirrors.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #5
I'm wondering who the hell Trimotio and Fineas are. Like Alice and Bob, or are they random names, or what?
 
  • #6
I thought they were the 1/2 wave virtual non-local representative ghost MWI counter-equivalents of Bob and Alice.
 

Related to Why do mirrors reverse left and right but not up and down?

1. Why does my reflection in a mirror appear to be facing the opposite direction?

When you look at yourself in a mirror, your reflection appears to be facing the opposite direction because mirrors flip the image horizontally. This means that your left side appears on the right side of the reflection and vice versa.

2. Is there a scientific explanation for why mirrors reverse left and right?

Yes, there is a scientific explanation for why mirrors reverse left and right. This phenomenon is due to the way that light bounces off a flat reflective surface. When light hits a mirror, it reflects off at the same angle it hits, but in the opposite direction. This causes objects, including your reflection, to appear flipped horizontally.

3. Why does the top of my head appear at the bottom of the mirror?

The top of your head appears at the bottom of the mirror because mirrors also flip the image vertically. This means that the top of the mirror corresponds to the bottom of the reflection and vice versa.

4. Can mirrors be made to reverse up and down instead of left and right?

No, mirrors cannot be made to reverse up and down instead of left and right. This is because the reversal of left and right in a mirror is a result of the way light reflects off a flat surface, and it is not possible to change this fundamental principle of physics.

5. How does our brain interpret the reversed image in a mirror?

Our brain interprets the reversed image in a mirror as our true reflection by using our knowledge of our own body and the world around us. Our brain is able to mentally reorient the image to match our perception of ourselves, so we do not perceive any changes in our appearance when looking in a mirror.

Back
Top