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Grade - 8 (BLE) Physics Light

What are the rules for drawing a ray diagram in a convex mirror?

What are the rules for drawing a ray diagram in a convex mirror?

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Tribhuvan University > Institute of Science and Technology > B.Sc. (CSIT)

The rules to draw a ray diagram in a convex mirror are as follows:

  1. The focus and the center of curvature are located behind the convex mirror.
  2. A ray of light parallel to the principal axis, when reflected on the surface of the convex mirror, appears to be coming from the focus.
  3. A ray of light coming along the line through the center of curvature reflects back along the same path.

Ray diagram for convex mirror

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Things to Remember From Light

  • A mirror is an instrument that forms an image by reflecting the rays of light falling on its surface coming from a source of light.
  • There are mainly two types of mirrors:
    1. plane mirror
    2. spherical mirror
  • If the surface of a mirror is a plane, it is called a plane mirror. It always forms a virtual image.
  • There are two types of spherical mirrors:
    1. concave mirror
    2. convex mirror
  • If the outer part of the mirror is raised and the middle part is uniformly lowered, the mirror is called a concave mirror. As a concave mirror converges the parallel rays of light at a point, it is also called a converging mirror.
  • If the outer part of the mirror is lowered and the middle part is uniformly raised, the mirror is called a convex mirror. Since a parallel beam of light diverges after reflection from the convex mirror, it is also called a diverging mirror.
  • A parallel beam of light reflected from a concave mirror converges at a point. But in a convex mirror, a parallel beam of light diverges after reflection in such a way that it appears as coming from a point which is called the focus.
  • The image which can be obtained on a screen is called real image and that cannot be obtained on a screen is called a virtual image.
  • A concave mirror forms all types of images such as real or virtual, enlarged or diminished according to the position of the object.
  • The convex mirror always forms a virtual and diminished image.
  • Concave mirrors are used in torch, search lights, as headlights of motors, as looking glass in parlors and saloons, in telescopes or in solar stoves, etc.
  • Convex mirrors are used to make looking glass of vehicles, reflectors in street lamps, etc.
  • The process of bending light when it passes from one medium to another is called the refraction of light.
  • Light bends towards normal when it passes from rarer to denser medium and bends away from normal when it passes from denser to rarer medium. The rays of light falling normally pass without bending.

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