Experiment 6

OPTICS II – IMAGE FORMATION OF MIRRORS

Sutdent
PHysics
 OBJECTIVE
The objective of this experiment is to observe image formation and ray diagrams from
plane, convex and concave mirrors as well as focal length and center of curvature of spherical
mirrors.

THEORY AND PHYSICAL PRINCIPLE

Plane mirrors are flattened and polished surfaces which have reflective power. In this
case, the reflection of light in a plane mirror, happens in a regular way so that the light beam
presents itself well defined and follows only one direction. Furthermore, the incident light ray,
the reflected ray and the straight line normal to the surface are located in the same plane, so the
angle of reflection and incidence have the same measurement.
Additionally, mirrors are reflective surfaces composed of glass and metal – the most
common metal used in mirrors is silver. According to their reflective surface, mirrors can be
plane or spherical (concave and convex). A very common example of a flat mirror is glass, a
material that allows the formation of sharp images.
The image reflected in a plane mirror is formed at the same distance from the mirror as
the object, therefore, it is symmetrical between the object and the mirror. Therefore, when we
place a mirror next to the other, they form a circle, which confirms the equidistance of all points
from the center and, above all, the symmetry of the image. A notorious example is when we see
our image reflected in a mirror, which appears to form behind the mirror. In this case, our image
is the same size as we are and is configured in a virtual image of our body, which presents a
“reversal of the image”, that is, a left-right inversion. Thus, in plane mirrors the object is real and
the image is virtual and symmetrical. In other words, in a plane mirror, image and object do not
overlap, being the distance from the object to the mirror (do) will be equivalent to the distance
from the image to the mirror
do = di
Likewise, the height of the object (ho) will be equal to the height of the image (hi)
ho = hi
Consequently, it shows the magnification (M)on the plane mirror:
M = hi/ ho = -di/do
Spherical mirrors are rounded surfaces which also have the power of reflection. The
spheres are smooth and polished, so that the angles of incidence and reflection are equivalent,
and the ray’s incident, reflected and the straight line normal to the incident point. They are
classified into: concave mirrors (those in which the reflecting surface is the inner part of the
mirror) and convex mirrors (one in which the reflecting surface is the outside of the mirror).

2
 APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE
This procedure was conducted using data and tables that were provided in Microsoft
Excel and three online simulators:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office
Simulator A: https://ophysics.com/l9.html
Simulator B: https://ricktu288.github.io/ray-optics/simulator/
Simulator C: https://ophysics.com/l10.html
The first table analyzed was built using simulator A and named as “Table 1 Analysis of
ray diagram of plane mirror.” The objective of this experiment was to verify the angle of
incidence and the angle of reflection of an object from a certain distance and height. Through
table analysis it is possible to affirm that objects under the same height and same distance from
the focal point produce the same angle of incidence and same angle of reflection in plane
mirrors.
The second table analyzed was build using simulator B and named as “Table 2 Analysis
of properties of reflection by using ray diagram of plane mirror.” The objective of this
experiment was to trace the light rays of object of certain height and at a certain distance from
the focal point on plane mirrors, In the end, it just reaffirmed that in plane mirror an object
project the same height, image and, angles of incidence and refraction.
The third table analyzed was build using simulator C and named as “Table 3 Focal length
and image formation of concave mirror.” The objective of this experiment was to observe the
image formation phenomenon in concave mirrors. Through table analysis it is possible to affirm
that position of the object (do) has direct influence in its magnification, where higher distances
proportionally produce higher magnifications. Another, particular observation of this table is that
the magnification follows a pattern where it is results is multiple of one hundred of the height of
the image (hi).
The fourth table analyzed was “Table 4 Focal length and image formation of concave
mirror,” which consisted in verifying the focal length and image formation of concave mirror
using data from Table 3. Through data observation of this experiment, it is possible to affirm that
the focal length does not suffer significant variation in different values of do and di.
The fifth table analyzed was “Table 5 Error analysis of focal length of concave mirror,”
which consist in verifying the accuracy of the experiment. It was found a percentage error under
1%, bringing into the conclusion that the procedure was successfully performed.
The sixth table analyzes was built using simulator C and named as “Table 6 Focal length
and image formation of convex mirror.” The objective of this experiment was to observe the
image formation phenomenon in convex mirrors. Through table analysis, likewise in concave
mirrors, it is possible to affirm that the position of the object has direct influence in its

3
magnification. However, the distance of image formed is always virtual due to angulations that it
is formed on the focal point for this type of mirrors.
The seventh table analyzed was “Table 7 Focal length and image formation of concave
mirror,” which consisted in verifying the focal length and image formation of convex mirrors
using data from Table 6. Through data observation it is possible to affirm that the focal length
suffered slightly variation.
The eight-table analyzed was “Table 8 Error analysis of focal length of convex mirror,”
which consisted in verifying the accuracy of the experiment. Although the same methods and
apparatus were used to perform this part of the experiment, it was found a considerable percent
error value if compared with Table 5. The reason for such discrepancy is probably due to reading
errors while reading and interpreting the graphs and scales on the online simulator.

DATA TABLES AND ANALYSIS

The procedure was divided in three parts and performed on the following online
simulators:
Simulator A: https://ophysics.com/l9.html
Simulator B: https://ricktu288.github.io/ray-optics/simulator/
Simulator C: https://ophysics.com/l10.html
On the Simulator A it was investigated the diagram rays and the following data was
collected:

Figure 1 Plane mirror simulator

4
 The data available on column 5 (Angle of incident) from the table above were obtained
by calculations on Microsoft Excel using the following function:
Theta in = GRAUS(ATAN(1/2))
On the simulator B it was investigated the image formation on plane mirror and the
following data was collected:

Figure 2.a - Plane mirror image formation simulator

5
 The data displayed on the table above were obtained through plane mirror image
formation simulator and not formulas or further calculations were applied.
On the Simulator C it was investigated image formation in convex and concave mirrors
and following data was collected:

Figure 3 Spherical mirror simulator

6
 The data displayed on the table above were obtained through Spherical mirror simulator
and not formulas or further calculations were applied.

The data available on the table above were obtained through calculations on Microsoft
Excel using the following functions:
1/do = 1/B33
1/di = 1/C33
fcal = (B45+C45)^-1

7
 A graph using data from Table 4 was generated:

1/d0 vs 1/d for concave mirror

100.000
f(x) = − x + 24.83
R² = 1

1/d0 [1/m} 80.000

60.000

40.000

20.000

0.000
-80.000 -60.000 -40.000 -20.000 0.000 20.000

1/di [1/m)

Figure 4 1/do vs 1/di for concave mirror

The percent error was compiled on the table below.

The data displayed on the table above were calculated on Microsoft Excel using the
following functions:
Focal_length_average = MÉDIA(D45:D51)
Focal_length_ from_graph = 1/24.833
PE_Avg = (ABS(0.04-C56)/0.04)*100
PE_from_graph = (ABS(0.04-C57)/0.04)*100

8
 Still using simulator C it was investigated the formation of image on convex mirrors and
following data was obtained.

The data displayed on the table above were obtained through Spherical mirror simulator
and not formulas or further calculations were applied.

The data available on the table above were obtained through calculations on Microsoft
Excel using the following functions:
1/do = 1/B66
1/di = 1/C66
fcal= (B77+C77)^-1

9
 A graph using table 7 were generated.

1/d0 vs 1/d for convex mirror

35.000
f(x) = − 1.03 x − 26.88
R² = 1 30.000

25.000
1/d0 [1/m}

20.000

15.000

10.000

5.000

0.000
-60.000 -55.000 -50.000 -45.000 -40.000 -35.000 -30.000

1/di [1/m)

Figure 5 1/do vs 1/di for convex mirror

The percent error was compiled on the table below.

The data displayed on the table above were calculated on Microsoft Excel using the
following functions:
Focal length average = MÉDIA(D77:D83)
Focal length from graph = 1/-26.88
PE Avg = (ABS(-0.04-C88)/ABS(-0.04))*100
PE from graph = (ABS(-0.04-C89)/ABS(-0.04))*100

10
 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
In this experiment it was possible to observe the nature of plane, concave and convex
mirrors. It was possible to verify that on plane mirrors the main characteristic of is the symmetry
between the object and the image formed, consequently, the image formed is always virtual. In
concave mirror, due to its shape, at least three rays are compounded to formed an image that in
the end will be real, upside-down, and with a different height of the object. The height of image
on a concave mirror will depend of the distance that the object is placed from the focal point:
when it is placed closer to the focal point, it results in a bigger image and vice versa. In concave
mirrors, the image formed will be always virtual, smaller than the object, and right-sided. The
procedure was performed with high accuracy to the apparatus that was used to perform it

REFERENCES
[2] Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, William Moebs. University Physics Volume 2. Openstax; 2021.

APPENDIX A: Pre-Lab Questions

1. How closer does the object be from the plane mirror to get a full image of the object?
Answer 1: The distance of which the object is placed does not necessarily interfere in the
complete projection of an object on the mirror, however, that it is necessary that the mirror have
at half of the object’s size to capture the whole image and be place at half of height of the focal
point.
2. What is the smallest possible height of the mirror to observe the complete image of an
object of height h?
Answer 2: It is necessary that the mirror he placed at least at half height of the focal point to the
image be fully projected on it.

3. Describe magnification of plane mirror?

Answer 3: Magnification of plane mirror is the ratio of the image’s height and the object’s
height. (M = hi/ho)
4. Describe an image from a concave mirror when the object distance is larger than the focal
length of the mirror?
Answer 4: Concave mirrors produces real images when we position objects close to their surface,
at the focal distance there is no image formation beyond the focus, as images are real and their
size fits the distance between the object and the vertex of the mirror
5. Describe an image from a concave mirror when the object distance is smaller than the
focal length of the mirror?

11
Answer 5: According to the position of the object in relation to the center of curvature, the
concave mirror will produce real images, however, when an object is approached from the mirror
at a distance less than the focal length, the conjugate image will be virtual and enlarged
APPENDIX B: Post Lab Questions
N/A

12