What is the difference between a real image and a virtual image?
1 Answer
The difference between a real image and a virtual image is as follows:
| Sn | Real image | Virtual image |
| 1. | A real image can be obtained on a screen. | A virtual image cannot be obtained on a screen. |
| 2. | It is formed at the point of actual intersection of reflected rays, | It is formed at the point where the reflected rays appear to meet. |
| 3. | A real image is always inverted. | A virtual image is always erect. |
| 4. | The real image is always formed in front of the mirror. | The virtual image is always formed behind the mirror. |
Virtual images are formed by the apparent intersection of the reflected rays but they don't intersect each other in real while real image is formed by the actual intersection of the reflected rays.
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:
- plane mirror
- 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:
- concave mirror
- 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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