Ray Diagram of concave

mirrors
Submitted by
Mervin.T.Jacob
Physical science
The line of sight principle suggests that in order
to view an image of an object in a mirror, a person
must sight along a line at the image of the object.
When sighting along such a line, light from the object
reflects off the mirror according to the law of
reflection and travels to the person's eye. This process
was discussed and explained earlier in this lesson.
One useful tool that is frequently used to depict this
idea is known as a ray diagram. A ray diagram is a
diagram that traces the path that light takes in order
for a person to view a point on the image of an object.
On the diagram, rays (lines with arrows) are drawn
for the incident ray and the reflected ray.
Spherical Mirrors are Portions of
spherical surfaces
If the outside of the spherical mirror is
silvered, then it is called a concave mirror

Concave Mirror
Pole (P)
(C) Centre of Curvature
The Line Passing through C,P Principal Axis
P Pole
C Centre of Curvature
Principal Axis
Geometrical
Centre
Centre of the
sphere of which the
mirror is a part
Terms Used in Spherical Mirrors
Principal Axis
Rules For Constructing Ray
Diagrams
F
Ray Parallel to Principal Axis
Rule 1. The Ray Parallel to Principal Axis is reflected through
the Principal Focus F
F
Principal Axis
Ray Passing through F
Rule 2. Ray Passing through the
principal focus F is reflected
parallel to the Principal Axis .
F
Principal Axis
C
Rule 3. The ray passing through the
Centre of Curvature C is reflected
through the same path.
F
C
There are two rays emerging from the object which is placed beyond
C. One ray is parallel to Principal Axis and the other ray passes
through C. Both the rays meet at the point between F and C
where the image is formed.
1
2
F
C
There are two rays emerging from the object which is placed
at C. One ray is parallel to Principal Axis and the other ray
passes through F. Both the rays meet at the point C where
the image is formed
1
2
F
C
There are two rays emerging from the object which is placed between
F and C. One ray is parallel to Principal Axis and the other ray
passes through C. Both the rays meet at the point beyond C where
the image is formed.
2
1
F
C

All the Rays of the Object at infinity are parallel to
Principal Axis and hence according to Construction 1 the
image is formed at F.

All the Rays of the Object at infinity are parallel to Principal
Axis and hence according to Construction 1 the image is formed
at F.

F
C
There are two rays emerging from the object which is placed at F.
One ray is parallel to Principal Axis and the other ray passes
through C. Both the rays meet at the point of infinity.
2
1
F C
There are two rays emerging from the object which is placed between P
and F. One ray is parallel to Principal Axis and the other ray passes
through C. Both the rays meet at the back of the mirror when the rays
are extended. The virtual image is formed at the back of the mirror.
P
1
2