Application of Reflection of Light in Daily Life.This happens because the reflected image undergoes left-right inversion, also called lateral inversion. Furthermore, some letters also look peculiar. What do you see? You will see that your name has been completely reversed. Lateral inversion (left-right reversal): Write your name on a sheet of paper and hold it in front of a mirror. This is because, in a plane mirror, the distance of the image (from the mirror) equals the distance of the object from the mirror. And when you move away from the mirror, your image also seems to move farther away. What do you see? You will see that when you move closer to the mirror, your image also seems to move closer. The distance of the image (from the mirror) as compared to that of the object: Stand in front of the mirror and then move back and forth. In other words, a plane mirror forms an upright (also called erect) image. Upright or inverted: This one is really easy! When you see yourself in the mirror every morning, do you see yourself standing upright, or do you see yourself inverted with your feet pointing to the ceiling of the room? You see yourself upright. Do you feel that the images are enlarged or diminished (i.e., increased or decreased in size) as compared to the size of the object? You will find that the image size and the object size are the same. Look at the images of the various objects around you. Size: Look at yourself in a dressing mirror.

To summarize, the image characteristics of a plane mirror are: Thus, a reflecting surface produces an image of certain properties. These are called image characteristics.

Such an image is called an upright image. Do you notice anything else about your image? Is the image upside down as compared to you? It is not. A virtual image cannot be formed on a screen. Now stand in front of the mirror and see if you can touch your image formed in the mirror. You cannot because the image seems to be behind the mirror. The image size on the plane mirror does not change The image is at the same distance behind the mirror as the object (here your hand is the object) in front of it. However, as you move your hand away from the mirror, the image also moves away. You will find that the size of the image neither increases nor decreases in size. Now move your hand slowly away from the mirror and observe the size of the image all the time. Is the image bigger, smaller, or of the same size? Place the palm of your hand on the flat surface of the mirror and study its reflected image. If you look at yourself closely in a mirror, what do you observe about your image? Is it bigger or smaller than you? Any highly polished metal surface, e.g., a steel plate or still water. Any smooth polished surface that can reflect the rays of light and form a clear image is called a mirror. The precise manner in which images are formed by mirrors and lenses is discussed in an upcoming chapter on Geometric Optics and Image Formation.Can you think of a plane reflecting surface? The mirror on the dressing table is a good example of a plane reflecting surface. Mirror images can be photographed and videotaped by instruments and look just as they do with our eyes (which are optical instruments themselves). Although these mirror images make objects appear to be where they cannot be (like behind a solid wall), the images are not figments of your imagination. If the mirror is on the wall of a room, the images in it are all behind the mirror, which can make the room seem bigger. The angles are such that the image is exactly the same distance behind the mirror as you stand in front of the mirror. We see the light coming from a direction determined by the law of reflection. When you see yourself in a mirror, it appears that the image is actually behind the mirror ( (Figure)). (credit c: modification of work by Diego Torres Silvestre)

(c) Moonlight is spread out when it is reflected by the lake, because the surface is shiny but uneven. Only the observer at a particular angle sees the reflected light. (b) A mirror illuminated by many parallel rays reflects them in only one direction, because its surface is very smooth. (a) When a sheet of paper is illuminated with many parallel incident rays, it can be seen at many different angles, because its surface is rough and diffuses the light.

Angle of reflection off a mirror