The laws of reflection, the difference between concave and convex mirrors, and where each is used in real life.
Laws of reflection
- The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
- The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same plane.
Two types of curved mirror
- Concave (caves in): can magnify and can form real images. Used in shaving mirrors, torches, headlights.
- Convex (bulges out): always forms a small, upright image and shows a wide area. Used in vehicle side mirrors and shop security mirrors.
Key terms
Real image: can be caught on a screen. Virtual image: cannot — you only see it in the mirror. A plane (flat) mirror always gives a virtual, same-size, laterally-inverted image.
Exam tip: "Convex = wider view, smaller image" is the one line that answers most short questions.