VAGDEVI VILAS SCHOOL

PHYSICS
NOTES: SPHERICAL MIRRORS

Spherical mirror
A mirror of which the reflecting surface is a part of a sphere is called
spherical mirror.
It is made by silvering a piece of glass which is the part of a hollow sphere.

Types of Spherical mirror

 Concave mirror
 Convex mirror

A concave mirror is made by silvering the outer or the bulging surface of the
hollow sphere such that reflection takes place from the hollow (Concave)
surface.
A convex mirror is made by slivering the inner surface of the hollow sphere
such that reflection takes place from the outer surface.

Center of curvature
The center of curvature of a mirror is the center of the sphere of which the
mirror is a part

Radius of curvature
The radius of the sphere of which the spherical mirror is a part, is called the
radius of curvature of the mirror

Pole
The geometric center of the spherical surface of the mirror is called the pole
of the mirror.
Aperture
The part of the mirror which can be exposed to the incident light is called the
aperture of the mirror.

Principal Axis
It is the straight line joining the pole of the mirror to its center of curvature.

Reflection from a spherical mirror

The reflection of light from a spherical mirror also follows the laws of
reflection.
 ∟𝑖 = ∟𝑟
 Incident ray, reflected ray and the normal lie in the same plane.

Focus

The focus of a concave mirror is a point on the principal axis at which the
light rays incident parallel to the principal axis meet after reflection from the
mirror.
The focus of a convex mirror is a point on the principal axis at which the light
rays incident parallel to the principal axis, appear to meet after reflection
from the mirror.

Focal length
The distance of focus from the pole of mirrors called the focal length of the
mirror. It is represented by the symbol f

Relationship between focal length f and radius if curvature R

The focal length of the spherical mirror is equal to half of its radius of
𝟏
curvature. 𝒇 = 𝟐 𝑹
Convenient rays for the construction of image by ray diagram
A ray passing through center of curvature

A ray passing through the center of curvature of a concave mirror after

reflection is reflected back along the same path. This is because a line joining
the center of curvature to any point on the surface of the mirror is a normal
to the mirror at that point. Its angle of incidence is zero, therefore the angle
of reflection is also zero. That means, the ray gets reflected back along the
same path.
An incident ray which appears to meet at center of curvature of a convex mirror
gets reflected back along the same path.
A ray parallel to principal axis

An incident ray parallel to principal axis after reflection will pass through the
focus of a concave mirror.
An incident ray parallel to principal axis after reflection will appear to diverge
from the focus of convex mirror.
A ray passing through focus
An incident ray passing through the focus in concave mirror, after reflection
becomes parallel to principal axis
An incident ray which appears to converge at the focus of a convex mirror after
reflection becomes parallel to the principal axis.

An incident ray at the pole

A ray incident at the pole of the mirror gets reflected, such that the angle of
incidence is equal to angle of reflection.

 Steps in drawing ray diagrams for spherical mirrors

 Ray diagrams for the formation of images in a concave mirror

 When the object is at infinity

 The image is at focus.
 Real.
 Inverted.
 Highly diminished.

 When the object is beyond of center of curvature

 The image is between focus F
and center of curvature C.
 Real.
 Inverted.
 Diminished.

 When the object is at center of curvature

 The image is also at center of
curvature.
 Real
 Inverted.
 Of the same size of the object

 When the object is between centre of curvature and focus

 The image is formed beyond
centre of curvature.
 Real.
 Inverted.
 Magnified.
  When the object is at focus
 The image is at infinity.
 Real.
 Inverted.
 Highly Enlarged.

 When the object is between focus and pole.

 The image is formed behind the
mirror.
 Virtual.
 Upright.
 Magnified.

 Image formation by a concave mirror for different positions of the

object.

Position of the Position of the Size of the image Nature of the

object image image
At infinity At the focus F Highly diminished, Real and
point-sized inverted
Beyond C Between F and C Diminished Real and
inverted
At C At C Same size Real and
inverted
Between C and F Beyond C Enlarged Real and
inverted
At F At infinity Highly enlarged Real and
inverted
Between P and F Behind the Enlarged Virtual and
mirror erect

Ray diagrams for the formation of image formed in a convex mirror.

 When the object is at infinity in front of the convex mirror.

  The image is formed at focus.
 Virtual.
 Upright.
 Highly Diminished to a point.

 When the object is in front of a convex mirror.

 The image is formed between the focus and pole on the other side of
the mirror.
 Virtual.
 Upright.
 Diminished.

 Nature, position and relative size of the image formed by a convex

mirror.

Position of the Position of the Size of the Nature of the

object image image image
At infinity At the focus F, Highly Virtual and erect
behind the diminished,
mirror point-sized
Between infinity Between P and F, Diminished Virtual and erect
and the pole P of behind the
the mirror mirror
Uses of spherical mirrors

 Uses of concave mirror

 As a shaving mirror.
 As doctor’s head mirror.
 As a reflector in torch, search lights and head light of automobiles cars,
cycles etc. So as to obtain a parallel beam of light.

 Uses of convex mirror

 As a rear view mirror.
 As a reflector in street lamp so as to diverge the light over a large area.

Sign Convention for Reflection by Spherical Mirror

1. The object is always placed to the left side of mirror.

2. All distance should be measured from pole (P);parallel to principal axis.
3.Take 'P' as origin.
 Distances measured
 Right of the origin (+x-Axis) are taken positive.
 Left of the origin (–x-Axis) are taken negative.
 Perpendicular to and above principal axis (+y-Axis) are taken positive.
 Perpendicular to and below principal axis (–y-Axis) are taken negative.
Mirror Formula
1 1 1
= 𝑣+ 𝑢
𝑓
f = distance between F and Pole.
v = distance of image from Pole.
u = distance of object from Pole.
R = distance between centre of curvature and pole.

𝑹
Where f = 𝟐

Magnification (m)
It is expressed as the ratio of the height of the image to height of the object.

ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 ℎ′
𝑚 = = − − − − ( 1)
ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 ℎ
−𝑣
𝑚 = 𝑢 − − − − (2)
From 1 and 2 equation
ℎ′ −𝑣
M= 𝑚 = =
ℎ 𝑢
ℎ′ = image height from principle axis.
h = object height from principle axis.
h – is always (+ve)
ℎ′ – is (+ve) for virtual, (–ve) for Real.

The above figure is for your reference

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