LIGHT : REFLECTION AND REFRACTION

IMPORTANT TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH MIRROR

13. Aperture : The width of the reflecting surface from which reflection takes place is called aperture.

14. Pole : The central point of the reflecting surface is called pole(P). It lies on the surface of the mirror.

15. Centre of Curvature : The centre of the hollow sphere of which, the spherical mirror is a part, is
called centre of curvature(C).

16. Radius of Curvature : The separation between the pole and the centre of curvature or the radius of
the hollow sphere of which the mirror is a part, is called radius of curvature(R). i.e.,PC = R.

17. Principal Axis : The straight line joining the pole and the centre of curvature is called principal axis.

18. Focus : The point F on the principal axis, where a beam of light parallel to the principal axis actually
meet after reflection (in case of concave mirror) or appear to come from (in case of convex mirror) is
called its principal focus (F).

19. Focal Length : The length or separation between the pole and the focus is called focal length. i.e.,
PF = f.

20. Relation between Radius of Curvature and Focal Length : It is twice of the focal length.
i.e., R = 2f.
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21. Representation of Images formed by spherical mirrors using ray diagrams :

(i) A ray of light parallel to the principal axis, will pass through the principal focus of a concave
mirror or appear to diverge or appear to come from principal focus of a convex mirror after
reflection.

(ii) A ray of light passing through the principal focus of a concave mirror or going towards the
principal focus of a convex mirror, will emerge parallel to the principal axis after reflection
from the mirrors.

(iii) A ray of light passing through the centre of curvature of a concave mirror or moving towards
the centre of curvature of convex mirror, retraces its path after reflection.
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(iv) A ray of light incident obliquely at the pole of the concave mirror, gets reflected at the same
angle on the other side of principal axis, thereby follow the laws of reflection

22. Image formation by a concave mirror for different positions of the object :