1. As the angle of incidence is increased for a ray incident on a
reflecting surface, the angle between the incident and reflected rays ultimately approaches what value? a. zero b. 45 degrees c. 90 degrees d. 180 degrees
Answer: D The angle of incidence is the angle between the incident ray and the normal. As this angle approaches 90 degrees, the reflected ray also approaches a 90 degree angle with the normal; thus, the angle between the incident and reflected ray approach 180 degrees.
Link to More Information About ... The Law of Reflection
2. If you stand three feet in front of a plane mirror, how far away would you see yourself in the mirror? a. 1.5 ft b. 3.0 ft c. 6.0 ft d. 12.0 ft
Answer: C If you stand 3 feet from the mirror, then your image is three feet on the other side of the mirror; this puts your image a total of six feet from you (3 feet to the mirror plus 3 more feet to the image).
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors
3. A concave mirror with a focal length of 10.0 cm creates a real image 30.0 cm away on its principal axis; the corresponding object is located how far from the mirror? a. 20.0 cm b. 15.0 cm c. 7.5 cm d. 5.0 cm
Answer: B Use the mirror equation: 1/d i + 1/d o = 1/f where d i = +30.0 cm and f = +10.0 cm. Substitute and solve for d o . 1/d o + 1/(30.0 cm) = 1/(10.0 cm) 1/d o = 1/(10.0 cm) - 1/(30.0 cm) = 2/(30.0 cm) d o = 15.0 cm
Link to More Information About ... The Mirror Equation - Concave Mirrors
4. A concave mirror forms a real image at 25.0 cm from the mirror surface along the principal axis. If the corresponding object is at a 10.0 cm distance, what is the mirror's focal length? a. 1.4 cm b. 16.7 cm c. 12.4 cm d. 7.1 cm
Answer: 7.1 cm Use the mirror equation: 1/d i + 1/d o = 1/f where d i = +25.0 cm and d o = +10.0 cm. Substitute and solve for f. 1/(10.0 cm) + 1/(25.0 cm) = 1/f 1/f = 14/(100. cm) or 0.14/cm f = 100./14 cm = 7.1 cm
Link to More Information About ... The Mirror Equation - Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors
5. If a virtual image is formed along the principal axis 10.0 cm from a concave mirror with the focal length 15.0 cm, what is the object distance from the mirror? a. 30.0 cm b. 10.0 cm c. 12.4 cm d. 6.0 cm
Answer: D Use the mirror equation: 1/d i + 1/d o = 1/f where d i = -10.0 cm and f = +15.0 cm. (Note that d i is negative if the image is virtual.) Substitute and solve for d o . 1/d o + 1/(-10.0 cm) = 1/(15.0 cm) 1/d o = 1/(15.0 cm) - 1/(-10.0 cm) = 5.00/(30.0 cm) d o = 6.0 cm
Link to More Information About ... The Mirror Equation - Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors
6. If a virtual image is formed 10.0 cm along the principal axis from a convex mirror of focal length -15.0 cm, what is the object distance from the mirror? a. 30.0 cm b. 10.0 cm c. 6.0 cm d. 3.0 cm
Answer: A Use the mirror equation: 1/d i + 1/d o = 1/f where d i = -10.0 cm and f = -15.0 cm. (Note that d i is negative if the image is virtual.) Substitute and solve for d o . 1/d o + 1/(-10.0 cm) = 1/(-15.0 cm) 1/d o = 1/(-15.0 cm) - 1/(-10.0 cm) = -1/(30.0 cm) d o = 30.0 cm
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors | The Mirror Equation - Convex Mirrors
7. If a man's face is 30.0 cm in front of a concave shaving mirror creating an upright image 1.50 times as large as the object, what is the mirror's focal length? a. 12.0 cm b. 20.0 cm c. 70.0 cm d. 90.0 cm
Answer: D First find d i . If the d o = 30.0 cm and the M = +1.50 (Note: M is + since the image is upright), then use M = -d i /d o to find that d i = -45.0 cm (the - d i value is consistent with the image being virtual - located behind the mirror). Now use the mirror equation to find the focal length: 1/d i + 1/d o = 1/f where d i = -45.0 cm and d o = +30.0 cm. Substitute and solve for f. 1/(30.0 cm) + 1/(-45.0 cm) = 1/f 1/f = 1/(90.0 cm) or 0.0111/cm f = 90.0 cm
Link to More Information About ... The Mirror Equation - Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors
8. Which of the following best describes the image formed by a plane mirror? a. virtual, inverted and enlarged b. real, inverted and reduced c. virtual, upright and the same size as object d. real, upright and the same size as object
Answer: C When you look at your image in a plane mirror, you see an upright image; it is located on the other side of the mirror (and thus is virtual); finally, it has the same dimensions (height, width) as yourself (the object).
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors
9. Which of the following best describes the image formed by a concave mirror when the object is located somewhere between the focal point (F) and the center of curvature (C) of the mirror? a. virtual, upright and enlarged b. real, inverted and reduced c. virtual, upright and reduced d. real, inverted and enlarged
Answer: D For concave mirrors, when the object is located anywhere between F and C, the image is real, inverted, enlarged in size, and located beyond C. You should get this very result if you were to draw a ray diagram.
Link to More Information About ... The Anatomy of a Curved Mirror
10. Which of the following best describes the image formed by a concave mirror when the object is at a distance further than the center of curvature (C) of the mirror? a. virtual, erect and enlarged b. real, inverted and reduced c. virtual, upright and reduced d. real, inverted and enlarged
Answer: B For concave mirrors, when the object is located anywhere beyond C, the image is real,inverted, reduced in size, and located between F and C. You should get this very result if you were to draw a ray diagram.
Link to More Information About ... Ray Diagrams - Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors
11. Which of the following best describes the image formed by a concave mirror when the object distance from the mirror is less than the focal length (f)? a. virtual, upright and enlarged b. real, inverted and reduced c. virtual, upright and reduced
Answer: A For concave mirrors, when the object is located anywhere inside the F, the image is virtual, upright, enlarged in size, and located on the opposite side of the mirror. You should get this very result if you were to draw a ray diagram.
Link to More Information About ... Ray Diagrams - Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors
12. Which of the following best describes the image formed by a convex mirror when the object distance from the mirror is less than the absolute value of the focal length (f)? a. virtual, upright and enlarged b. real, inverted and reduced c. virtual, upright and reduced d. real, inverted and enlarged
Answer: C For convex mirrors, regardless of where the object is located, the image is virtual, upright,reduced in size, and located on the opposite side of the mirror. You should get this very result if you were to draw a ray diagram.
Link to More Information About ... Ray Diagrams - Convex Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors
13. Use of a parabolic mirror, instead of one made of a circular arc surface, can be used to reduce the occurrence of which of the following effects? a. spherical aberration b. mirages c. chromatic aberration d. light scattering
Answer: A The problem of spherical aberration are caused by the inability of the outer portions of a concave spherical mirror to reflect and focus light to the same image locations as other portions of the mirror. A cure for the problem involves the use of a mirror with a different shape in the regions far from the principal axis; a parabolic mirror solves this problem.
Link to More Information About ... Spherical Aberration
14. When the image of an object is seen in a plane mirror, the image is a. real and upright. b. real and inverted. c. virtual and upright. d. virtual and inverted.
Answer: C Look at yourself in a plane mirror and you see your image - it is upright. The image is located on the other side of the mirror since reflected rays diverge upon reflection; when mirrors produce images on the the opposite side of the mirror, the images are said to be virtual.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors
15. When the image of an object is seen in a plane mirror, the distance from the mirror to the image depends on a. the wavelength of light used for viewing. b. the distance from the object to the mirror. c. the distance of both the observer and the object to the mirror.
Answer: B For plane mirrors, the image distance is the same as the object distance (d i =-d o ). The only way to modify the image distance is to modify the object distance.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors | Ray Diagrams for Plane Mirrors
16. If a man wishes to use a plane mirror on a wall to view both his head and his feet as he stands in front of the mirror, the required length of the mirror a. is equal to the height of the man. b. is equal to one half the height of the man. c. depends on the distance the man stands from the mirror. d. depends on both the height of the man and the distance from the man to the mirror.
Answer: B The portion of mirror required to view the full image of an object is always one-half the height of the object (for plane mirrors only). For the skeptics who believe C is the more believable answer, see the proof given on the Physics Classroom tutorial page.
Link to More Information About ... What Portion of a Mirror is Required to View an Image?
17. When the image of an object is seen in a concave mirror the image will a. always be real. b. always be virtual. c. be either real or virtual. d. will always be magnified.
Answer: C Concave mirrors can produce real images (if the object is beyond the focal point) and virtual images (if the object is located in front of the focal point). These images can be either magnified in size (if object is in front of F or between C and F), reduced in size (if object is located beyond C),or the same size as the object (if object is located at C).
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors
18. When the image of an object is seen in a convex mirror the image will a. always be real. b. always be virtual. c. may be either real or virtual. d. will always be magnified.
Answer: B Convex mirrors always (always) produce images which are virtual, upright, and reduced in size. Since reflected light rays always diverge from each other, these convex mirrors can never produce real images. Draw a ray diagram to convince yourself that this is true.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors
19. Rays of light traveling parallel to the principal axis of a concave mirror will come together a. at the center of curvature. b. at the focal point. c. at infinity. d. at a point half way to the focal point.
Answer: B The focal point is the location where light rays traveling parallel to the principal axis converge. (Perhaps you remember the demo with the concave (converging) mirror and the pencil or dollar bill.)
Link to More Information About ... Reflection of Light and Image Formation 20. Right angle mirrors produce three images of objects. Which of the following is statements is/are true of the middle image? a. The middle image is the same size as the object. b. The middle image is the same distance from the mirror as the object. c. The middle image will exhibit left-right reversal relative to the object. d. The middle image is a real image. e. The middle image is an upright image. f. The magnification of the middle image is -1. g. When sighting at the middle image, light will reflect twice prior to reaching one's eye.
Answer: ABEG A is true; like any plane mirror image, the image formed by two mirrors oriented at right angles is the same size as the object. B is true; the middle image is the same distance from the crease of the dual mirror system as the image is from the crease. However, image distances are usually measured as the smallest distance measured perpendicularly to the mirror. For middle images, this distance would be measured to an extended mirror line and it would be the same distance as that from the object to that same mirror. C is false; the middle image, unlike the primary images, does not exhibit this feature of left-right reversal. D is false; the middle image is a virtual image; it is upright and located behind the mirror (like any virtual image). E is true; just look at the middle image and you will see an upright image. F is false; a magnification of -1 means that the image would be inverted (negative M) and the same size as the object (1); the middle image is the same size as the object but it is not inverted. G is true; light will reflect twice - once off each mirror - prior to traveling to the viewer's eye.
Link to More Information About ... Right Angle Mirrors
[ #20 | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | #26 ]
21. Two plane mirrors are attached to form a dual mirror system with an adjustable angle. As the angle between the mirrors increases, the number of images _____. a. increase b. decreases c. remains the same
Answer: B Consider two mirrors arranged at a 0-degree angle - parallel to each other. There would be an infinite number of images, one located directly behind the other forming a line which seems to extend forever. Suppose the mirrors are adjusted to a 30-degree angle (see question #29 below). The mirrors would create 5 images of objects placed between the mirrors. Now suppose that the angle is increased to a 90-degree angle (see question #29 below). Finally, suppose the mirrors are adjusted to a 180-degree angle to form a single plane. At such an angle, only one image would be formed. As the angle is increased, the number of images decreases.
Link to More Information About ... Other Multiple Mirror Systems
[ #20 | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | #26 ]
22. Which of the following statements is/are true of a virtual image? a. Virtual images are always located behind the mirror. b. Virtual images can be either upright or inverted. c. Virtual images can be magnified in size, reduced in size or the same size as the object. d. Virtual images can be formed by concave, convex and plane mirrors. e. Virtual images are not real; thus you could never see them when sighting in a mirror. f. Virtual images result when the reflected light rays diverge. g. Virtual images can be projected onto a sheet of paper.
Answer: ACDF A is true; virtual images are always located behind the mirror. B is false; virtual images are always upright. C is true; a virtual image is reduced in size if formed by a convex mirror; it is magnified in size when created by concave mirrors; it is the same size as the object when created by plane mirrors. D is true; convex and plane mirrors always form virtual images; concave mirrors will form virtual images of objects placed between the focal point and the mirror. E is false; while virtual images are not real, they can be seen if sighted at in the mirror - just consider your plane mirror image which you probably view everyday. F is true. Virtual images result when incident light from the object strikes the mirror, reflects and diverges. The virtual image is located behind the mirror at the spot where the reflected rays would converge if extended behind the mirror. G is false; only real images which are formed in front of mirrors can be projected onto the screen. Virtual images are located behind the mirror where the light does not travel.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors
[ #20 | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | #26 ]
23. Which of the following statements is/are true of a real image? a. Real images are always located behind the mirror. b. Real images can be either upright or inverted. c. Real images can be magnified in size, reduced in size or the same size as the object. d. Real images can be formed by concave, convex and plane mirrors. e. Real images are not virtual; thus you could never see them when sighting in a mirror. f. Real images result when the reflected light rays diverge. g. Real images can be projected onto a sheet of paper.
Answer: CG A is false; real images are always located in front of the mirror. B is false; real images are always inverted and never upright. C is true; a real image can be magnified if placed between C and F of a concave mirror; it can be reduced in size if placed beyond C in front of a concave mirror; and it can be the same size as the object if placed at C in front of a concave mirror. D is false; convex and plane mirrors always form virtual images and can never form real images; only a concave mirror can form both types of images. E is false; real images can be seen when sighting at the image location (just like virtual images can). F is false; real images result when reflected light rays converge to a point. G is true; real images (unlike virtual images) can be projected onto a sheet of paper. Because real images form in front of the mirror at the locations where reflected rays converge, the image can be projected onto a sheet of paper if it is placed at this image location.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors
[ #20 | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | #26 ]
24. Which of the following situations would always result in an image which is magnified in size? a. Concave mirror: d i > 0 and d o < d i
b. Convex mirror: d o > 0 c. Plane Mirror: d o > 0 d. Concave Mirror: d o > R e. Concave Mirror: d o < f f. Concave Mirror: d o > f and d o < R
Answer: AEF A results in a magnified image. If the image distance is greater than 0, then the image is a real image. If the image distance is greater than the object distance, then according to the magnification ratio, the image height must also be equal to the object height. In B and C, a convex and a plane mirror never creates a magnified image. Convex mirrors always create images which are reduced in size. Plane mirrors always create images which are the same size as the object. In D, the object is placed beyond the center of curvature of a concave mirror. In such an instance, the image is reduced in size and located between C and F. In E, the object is placed between the focal point and a concave mirror. At such an object location, the image is virtual, magnified, and upright. In F, the object is placed in between points C and F of a concave mirror. For such an object location, the image is real, magnified, and located beyond the center of curvature.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors
[ #20 | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | #26 ]
25. Which of the following situations would always result in an image which is upright? a. Concave mirror: d i > 0 and d o < d i
b. Convex mirror: d o > 0 c. Plane Mirror: d o > 0 d. Concave Mirror: d o > R e. Concave Mirror: d o < f f. Concave Mirror: d o > f and d o < R
Answer: BCE In A, the image is real and its distance is further from the mirror than the object. This could only occur when the object is placed between C and F of a concave mirror. For such an object location, the image is real, inverted, and magnified in size. In B, a convex mirror is used. Convex mirrors always produce upright, virtual images. In C, a plane mirror is used. Plane mirrors always produce upright, virtual images. In D, the object is located beyond the center of curvature of a concave mirror. At such an object location, the image would be real, inverted and reduced in size. In E, the object is located in front of the focal point of a concave mirror. At such an object location, the image would be virtual, upright, and magnified. In F, the object is located between the center of curvature and the focal point of a concave mirror; the image would be real, inverted, and magnified.
Link to More Information About ... Image Characteristics for Plane Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Concave Mirrors | Image Characteristics for Convex Mirrors
[ #20 | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | #26 ]
26. TRUE or FALSE: Virtual images formed by mirrors are always upright images. a. TRUE b. FALSE
Answer: A This is a true statement. The image characteristics of being upright and being virtual go hand in hand. If the image is virtual, then it is upright; and vice versa. Only real images are inverted and only inverted images are real.