PLANE AND SPHERICAL MIRRORS

2017100386
PHY13L / B1
CE / Year 2

1. DATA

All trials had equal angle of incidence and reflection. The observed number of images formed in all trials
is equal to the calculated number except for the 10 °∧15 ° angles which manifested deviation. 1.64%
error was obtained for the experimental radius of curvature, both for convex and concave. For table 4 and
5, similar corresponding values for object and image distance results in a focal point close to actual value
of 10 cm. 4.49% and 5.02% difference for average and actual focal length were obtained, respectively.
Equal object and image distance of 20cm. resulted in zero percent difference for focal length.

2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

For table 1, the results prove the laws of reflection principle as the angle of incidence and reflection is
always equal. In addition, this also proves that the incident ray, reflected ray and normal line all lie on the
same plane. For table 2, the minuscule divisions manifested by the mirrors separated at the 10 °∧15 °
angles made it impossible to visibly count number of images formed. Nonetheless, the formula was
proven as all of observations were accurate when images can be possibly counted. Table 3, both the
convex and concave mirrors had the same actual and experimental curvature radius. This implies that
despite the positional difference of the focal point and the center, the dimensions still hold equal. Values
1 1 1
for tables 4 and 5 proved the mirror equation = + wherein f focal point, p the object distance
f p q
and q the image distance as for table 4, the measured value for the object distance accurately
corresponded to the actual value of focal length 10cm., and as for table 5, the measured value for the
image distance resulted in value which had little to no difference from the actual value. For the sixth and
last table, we tried to predict the value of the distance of image and object by mathematical application.
Result is exactly 20cm., and this proved to be the correct distance for a sharp image of the candle in the
screen. Through this system and experimentation, we were able to apply and prove the mirror equation in
solving optic problems.

3. CONCLUSION

I conclude that plane and spherical mirrors accede to the laws of reflection. In addition, number of images
formed by an object is dependent on the angle between two plane mirrors. Lastly, mirror equation is
utilized in computing for either focal length, object distance, or image distance for spherical mirrors.