PLANE, CURVE

MIRRORS and LENSES

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PLANE MIRRORS

•a flat surface on which a straight line joining

any two points on it would wholly lie.

• used in dressing rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms,

nad in cars.
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PLANE MIRRORS

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 PLANE MIRRORS
CHARACTERISTICS:
• In the case of plane mirrors, the image is said to be
a virtual image. 
• Virtual images are images that are formed in locations
where light does not actually reach. 
• Image is upright, virtual, and of the same size as the
object.
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PLANE MIRRORS

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In summary, the image formed by the
plane mirror has the following
characteristics:
• A. The image distance is equal to the object
distance
• B. The image is virtual, upright and of the
same size as the object.
• C. The image is laterally reversed.

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CURVED or SPHERICAL
MIRRORS
• kind of mirror with a curved reflecting surface.
• have surfaces that are shaped like part of a
sphere.
• The surface may be either convex (bulging
outwards) or concave (bulging inwards).

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CURVED or SPHERICAL
MIRRORS
• CONVEX MIRROR is a curved mirror in which the
reflective surface bulges toward the light source.

• Inner surface reflects light

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CONVEX MIRROR

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CONCAVE MIRROR
• forms an enlarged image depending upon
the position of the object.
• a curved surface with reflection coating
outer part of the curve is called a concave
mirror

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CONCAVE MIRROR

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Parts of Convex and Concave Mirrors
There are mirrors terminology which you
should know. They are the following:
1. Vertex (V) is the middle portion of the
mirror.
2. Center of curvature (C) is the center of
the sphere of which the curved mirror is a
part.
3. Radius of curvature (r) is the distance of
the center of curvature from the vertex.
4. Principal axis (P) is the line drawn
passing through the vertex and the center
of curvature. 12
5. Secondary axis (S) is a line drawn
through the center of curvature to any
part in the mirror.
6. Aperture (A) is the opening of the
mirror.
7. Focus (F) is the point where the
reflected rays meet.
8. Focal length (f) is the distance
between the focus and the vertex.

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How do converging and diverging mirrors differ?

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IMAGE FORMATION OF
SPHERICAL MIRRORS

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CONCAVE MIRRORS:

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CONCAVE MIRRORS:

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The image formed by convex mirror is never real because the
reflected rays spread out from the mirror.

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Ray diagrams are used to depict the
image formation by tracing the path of
light rays i.e. incident rays and reflected
rays. They are drawn in order for anyone
to view a point on the image of an object.
These ray diagrams depend on the
position of the object.

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Ray Diagrams
for a Concave
Mirror

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The object is located beyond C

What are the characteristics of the image formed?

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The object is located at C

What are the characteristics of the image formed?

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The object is located
Between C and F

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 For convex mirror,
the object is placed
anywhere in front
of the mirror…

What will be the

Characteristics
of the image formed?
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Step-by-Step Procedure for Drawing Ray Diagrams
The method of drawing ray diagrams for convex mirrors is described below.

1. Pick a point on the top of the

object and draw two incident
rays traveling towards the
mirror.

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Step-by-Step Procedure for Drawing Ray Diagrams
The method of drawing ray diagrams for convex mirrors is described below.

2. Once these incident rays

strike the mirror, reflect them
according to the 
two rules of reflection for
convex mirrors.
The ray that travels towards the focal point will reflect and
travel parallel to the principal axis. Use a straight edge to
accurately draw its path. The ray that traveled parallel to the
principal axis on the way to the mirror will reflect and travel in
a direction such that its extension passes through the focal
point. 29
Step-by-Step Procedure for Drawing Ray Diagrams
The method of drawing ray diagrams for convex mirrors is described below.

3. Locate and mark the image

of the top of the object.

The image point of the top of the object is the point where
the two reflected rays intersect. Since the two reflected
rays are diverging, they must be extended behind the
mirror in order to intersect. Using a straight edge, extend
each of the rays using dashed lines. Draw the extensions
until they intersect. The point of intersection is the image
point of the top of the object. 30
The diagrams below show that in each case, the image is
- located behind the convex mirror
- a virtual image
- an upright image
- reduced in size (i.e., smaller than the object)

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Its your turn to do it…

Activity: Are You L.O.S.T. after

Reflection?

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Simple Uses
of Concave
Mirrors

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Shaving and Makeup Mirrors

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Concave mirrors are often used as shaving mirrors and makeup
mirrors. Objects held close are reflected in a concave mirror
as a magnified image. When the mirror is held close to the
face, an enlarged image of the skin can be seen. For shaving
purposes, this allows you to see if any hair has been missed and
to make sure that all hairs have been cut to the same length. For
makeup purposes, it allows you to make sure all the skin on the
face is covered and blended evenly.

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Headlights
Concave mirrors are used in motor vehicle headlights to
send out strong beams of light. Instead of reflecting an
image, they are used to focus the light from the bulb.
Rays of light from the bulb are reflected off the concave
mirror, creating a strong beam that shines on the road.

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Microscopes
Near the base of a microscope, you
may find a concave mirror mounted
so it can be turned in any direction.
Concave mirrors are used in
microscopes to collect light from
a lamp, shining it up onto a slide
containing a specimen so it can
be viewed through a
magnification lens. It is important
to never point the mirror toward the
sun to collect light; the sunlight
would be focused and could blind
the person looking through the lens
of the microscope.
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 Telescopes
Large telescopes traditionally have a
concave mirror at one end. Similar to
how a concave mirror works in a
microscope, the concave mirror in
the telescope collects light. Instead
of shining the light up to a specimen,
it shines the light from distant stars
onto a flat mirror. The viewer looks
through the lens on the eyepiece of
the telescope and sees the reflection
on the mirror, allowing a view of stars
that the naked eye is unable to see.
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Dentist use concave
mirror so that he/she
will be able to see the
magnified view of
patients affected teeth 

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Simple Uses
of Convex
Mirrors

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•Most of the passenger side
mirror on any vehicle,
especially car, is the convex
mirror. In some parts of the
country, such mirrors come
with precaution message, to
warn drivers of the distorting
effects of it. These mirrors are
preferred in vehicles, as they
provide a diminished and
upright image.
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•Moreover, these mirrors provide a wider view,
when they are curved in an outward direction.
These mirrors are found in hallways of different
buildings, like schools, hospitals, hotels,
apartment buildings and stores.

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• Convex mirrors provide visibility at blind
spots, such as hallway corners and
driveway exits.

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Convex mirrors are used in some other areas, as
well. Listed below, are some of the additional zones,
where such fish eye mirrors are used:

The round form of fish

eye mirrors was
considered as a mark of
luxurious lifestyle,
which started from 15th
century.
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Due to its larger area covering capabilities, these mirrors have
now gained worldwide popularity. Not just in common daily
lives, but these mirrors are now used as the best safety product
for preventing road accidents. The stands of these mirrors are
mainly constructed using poly carbonate or metals, with
varying curvature degree.

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•During most of the time,
these mirrors are used
in automated teller
machines, as a handy
and simple security
feature.

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•They are even used as a special inspection device, where it
is hard to reach. Here, the mirrors are mounted on a proper
rod and extended with lights under the object to be viewed.
Some common examples are clocks, car repair or
appliances.

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 LENS
A spherical lens is a piece of glass or
transparent material that has at least
one spherical surface.

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Lenses – An application of refraction
Refraction is the
bending of light (it also
happens with sound,
water and other waves)
as it passes from one
transparent substance
into another.
Lenses – An application of refraction
This bending by refraction makes it
possible for us to have lenses,
magnifying glasses, prisms and
rainbows. Even our eyes depend
upon this bending of light. Without
refraction, we wouldn’t be able
to focus light onto our retina (A light-
sensitive tissue lining the inner
surface of the eye).
• There are two main types of lenses:
• convex lenses—these curve outwards and are
fatter in the middle
• concave lenses—these curve inwards (a little
like a cave) and are thinner in the middle.

Convex lenses Concave Lenses

A converging lens (Convex) A diverging lens (concave)
takes light rays and bring takes light rays and spreads
them to a point. them outward.
LENS TERMINOLOGY
CONVEX LENS
• In a convex lens, an incoming ray parallel to the
principal axis is refracted through the principal focus
(F).
• The optical center of the lens is the point
which all light rays pass without being bent.
• When beam of parallel rays falls on a convex lens, the
rays are refracted and converge to a point called
principal focus
• Focal length (f) is the distance from the optical center
of the lens to the principal focus.
Concave Lens
• In a concave lens, an incoming ray parallel to the principal axis is
refracted so that it appears to come from the principal focus (F).
Movement of Light through a Lens
• The distance from the centre line (plane) of the lens to
the principal focus is called the focal length of the lens.

A ray passing through the centre of either type of lens is

unaffected.
• As with all images, rays of light that come from a part of
the object come together again at that same part of the
image.
Focal Length
• The greater the curvature of a lens, the more it bends
light and hence the shorter the focal length.
Image type and Location
• Convex lenses produce two different types of images,
depending on where the object is located.
• If the object is at a distance greater than the focal
length of the lens, a real image is formed.
• A real image can be projected onto a screen
Convex Lenses
• If the object is at a distance less than the focal length
of the lens, a virtual image is formed.
• This image can’t be projected onto a screen.
Concave Lenses
• Concave lenses produce only virtual images.
Finding the focal length
• Rays coming into a lens from a distant object are almost
parallel and form an image very close to the focus.
• We can then measure the distance from lens to image to
determine the focal length of the lens.
Step-by-Step Method for Drawing Ray Diagrams
The method of drawing ray diagrams for double convex lens is
described below. The description is applied to the task of drawing a ray
diagram for an object located beyond the 2F point of a double convex
lens.

1. Pick a point on the top of the

object and draw three incident
rays traveling towards the lens.

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Step-by-Step Method for Drawing Ray Diagrams
2. Once these incident
rays strike the lens, refract
them according to the 
three rules of refraction
 for converging lenses.

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Step-by-Step Method for Drawing Ray Diagrams
2. Once these incident
rays strike the lens, refract
them according to the 
three rules of refraction
 for converging lenses.

•Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis of a converging lens will refract
through the lens and travel through the focal point on the opposite side of the lens.
•Any incident ray traveling through the focal point on the way to the lens will refract through
the lens and travel parallel to the principal axis.
•An incident ray that passes through the center of the lens will in effect continue in the same
direction that it had when it entered the lens. 64
Step-by-Step Method for Drawing Ray Diagrams
3. Mark the image of the
top of the object.

The image point of the top of the object is the point

where the three refracted rays intersect. All three
rays should intersect at exactly the same point. This
point is merely the point where all light from the
top of the object would intersect upon refracting
through the lens.

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A virtual image is formed
if the object is located less
than one focal length from
the converging lens.

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For the case of the object located at
the focal point (F), the light rays
neither converge nor diverge after
refracting through the lens. As shown
in the diagram above, the refracted
rays are traveling parallel to each
other. Subsequently, the light rays will
not converge to form a real image;
nor can they be extended backwards
on the opposite side of the lens to
intersect to form a virtual image. So
how should the results of the ray
diagram be interpreted? The answer:
there is no image!!
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 THREE SIMPLE RULES OF REFRACTIONFOR DOUBLE CONCAVE LENSES

•Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis of a diverging

lens will refract through the lens and travel in line with the focal point
(i.e., in a direction such that its extension will pass through the focal
point).
•Any incident ray traveling towards the focal point on the way to the
lens will refract through the lens and travel parallel to the principal
axis.
•An incident ray that passes through the center of the lens will in
effect continue in the same direction that it had when it entered the
lens.
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The method of drawing ray diagrams for a double concave lens is described below.
1. Pick a point on the top of the object and draw three incident rays traveling towards the
lens.

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The method of drawing ray diagrams for a double concave lens is described below.

The ray that traveled to the exact center of the lens

will continue to travel in the same direction. Place
2. Once these incident rays strike the lens, arrowheads upon the rays to indicate their
refract them according to the three rules direction of travel.
 of refraction for double concave lenses.

The ray that travels towards the focal point will

refract through the lens and travel parallel to
the principal axis.

The ray that traveled parallel to the principal axis on the

way to the lens will refract and travel in a direction such
that its extension passes through the focal point on the
object's side of the lens.

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The method of drawing ray diagrams for a double concave lens is described below.

3. Locate and mark the image of the top of the

object.

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