What are Real and Virtual Images? | Reflection of Light | Infinity Learn

Introduction

In this article, we will delve into the intriguing concepts of real and virtual images resulting from the reflection of light, particularly focusing on the behavior of different types of mirrors.

Understanding Mirrors

Mirrors are crucial tools in optics, which come in various forms. The most common type is the plane mirror, which features a flat and smooth reflecting surface. You might recognize this type of mirror from your bathroom or mounted on walls for practical and decorative purposes.

Types of Mirrors

1. Plane Mirrors: Flat mirrors that produce virtual images.
2. Concave Mirrors: Spherical mirrors that curve inward and can produce both real and virtual images.

For this discussion, we will primarily focus on plane mirrors and their characteristics.

How Mirrors Work

When we stand in front of a plane mirror, our image appears due to the reflection of light. Here’s a simplified explanation of the process:

1. Light rays from a source strike our body and reflect off it.
2. These reflected rays then hit the surface of the mirror and bounce back.
3. The reflected light reaches our eyes, allowing us to see our image.

This process illustrates that light rays can reflect multiple times, leading to the formation of images.

Virtual Images

When we observe our reflection in a plane mirror, we see a virtual image. To understand this better, let's visualize it:

• Imagine a boy represented by an upward-pointing arrow in front of a plane mirror.
• The light rays emanating from the tip of the arrow hit the mirror and are reflected.
• Although these rays diverge after reflection, when extended backward, they appear to converge at a point behind the mirror.

This point creates the perception of an image behind the flat mirror surface, despite no actual light rays forming there. Therefore, a virtual image is defined as an image that appears to exist in a location behind the mirror, but in reality, it does not.

Key Characteristics of Virtual Images

• They are always formed by plane mirrors.
• They appear to be located behind the mirror.
• They cannot be projected onto a screen since the light does not physically reach that point.

Real Images

Now, let’s discuss real images, which can be produced by concave mirrors. Here's how they are formed:

1. Consider the same arrow object positioned in front of a concave mirror.
2. As light rays reflect off the concave surface, they do not diverge as in the case of a plane mirror. Instead, they converge.
3. The point where these rays intersect in front of the mirror then creates a real image.

Key Characteristics of Real Images

• Inverted: Unlike virtual images, real images are always inverted.
• Located on the same side as the object: Real images are formed where light rays converge.
• They can be projected onto a screen since the light rays physically meet at that point.

Conclusion

In summary, the distinction between real and virtual images is fundamentally about where the reflected light rays appear to originate from. While virtual images emerge from perceived reflected rays behind the mirror, real images arise from actual convergence of light rays on the same side as the object. Understanding these phenomena enriches our comprehension of optics and the nature of images we see every day.

Introduction

• Virtual Images
• Real Images
• Plane Mirrors
• Concave Mirrors
• Reflection of Light
• Diverging Rays
• Converging Rays

Introduction

1. What is a virtual image?
A virtual image is an image that appears to be formed behind a mirror but does not actually exist at that point, as no light rays physically reach there.

2. Can virtual images be projected onto a screen?
No, virtual images cannot be projected onto a screen because they are formed at a point where no light converges.

3. What is a real image?
A real image is formed when light rays converge at a point in front of a mirror, allowing it to be projected onto a screen.

4. Are real images always inverted?
Yes, real images produced by concave mirrors are always inverted.

5. What type of mirrors can form both real and virtual images?
Concave mirrors can form both real images, when the object is placed at a certain distance, and virtual images, when the object is located in front of the focal point.