PHYSICS 2010-11 IX Malti / Manisha 9867182638 / 23712446

SPHERICAL MIRRORS
A mirror of which the reflecting surface is a part of a sphere is called a spherical mirror.
Types of spherical mirrors ::
(i) the concave mirror: A concave mirror is made by silvering the outer or the bulging
surface of the hollow sphere such that the reflection takes place from the hollow (or concave) surface
(ii) the convex mirror : A convex mirror is made by silvering the inner surface of the hollow
sphere such that the reflection takes place from the outer (or bulging) surface .
TERMS RELATED TO A SPHERICAL. MIRROR
(1) Centre of curvature
The centre of curvature of a mirror is the centre of the sphere of which the mirror is apart. It is
represented by the symbol C.
Any line joining the surface of mirror to the centre of curvature C will be normal at that point of
the surface.
(2) Radius of curvature
The radius of the sphere of which the spherical mirror ns a part, is called the radius of
curvature of the mirror.
It is the distance of the centre of curvature C from any point on the surface of mirror

(3) Pole
The geometric centre of the spherical surface of the mirror is called the pole of the mirror.

(4) Aperture
The part of the mirror which is exposed to the incident light is called the aperture of the
mirror. Thus it is the surface of the mirror from which reflection occurs.
(5)Principal axis
It is the straight line joining the pole of the mirror to its centre of curvature .

FOCUS AND FOCAL LENGTH

6. Focus
The focus of a concave mirror is a point on the principal axis through which the light rays
incident parallel to the principal axis pass after reflection from the mirror.
The focus of a convex mirror is a point on the principal axis at which the light rays incident
parallel to the principal axis, appear to meet after reflection from the mirror. I
The focus is represented by the symbol F.
A concave mirror has the real focus
A convex mirror has the virtual focus.

7. Focal length
The distance of focus from the pole of the mirror is called the focal length of the mirror.

REFLECTION FROM A SPHERICAL

The reflection of light from a spherical mirror also follows the laws of reflection
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(i.e. angle of incidence i = angle of reflection r and

the incident ray, reflected ray and the normal lie in the same plane).

a concave mirror converges the rays on reflection, while

A convex mirror diverges the rays on reflection

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOCAL LENGTH AND RADIUS OF

CURVATURE:
The focal length of a spherical mirror = half of its radius of curvature

CONVENIENT RAYS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMAGE BY RAY

DIAGRAM

Any two of the following rays are taken as the convenient incident rays.
(1) A ray passing through the centre of curvature,
(2) A ray parallel to the principal axis,
(3) A ray passing through the focus,
(4) A ray incident at the pole

(1) A ray passing through the centre of curvature is reflected back along its own path.
PHYSICS 2010-11 IX Malti / Manisha 9867182638 / 23712446

(2) A ray parallel to the principal axis, after reflection either passes or appears to pass
through focus.

(3) A ray passing through the focus gets reflected parallel to the principal axis

(4) A ray incident at the pole is reflected ' obeying the law of reflection and treating the
principal axis as normal.

RAY DIAGRAMS FOR FORMATION OF IMAGES IN A CONCAVE

MIRROR
Case (i)
(1)When the object is at infinity, the image is at the focus F.
It is (i) Real,
(ii) Diminished to a point

(2) When the object is at afar distance, the image is in the focal plane of the mirror.
It is (i) Real,
(ii) Inverted,
(iii) Highly diminished.
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Case (ii) - When the object is beyond the centre of curvature (i.e., u » R)

When the object is beyond the centre of curvature C, the image is between the focus F and the
centre of curvature C.
It is (i) Real,
(ii) Inverted,
(iii) Diminished.

Case (iii) - When the object is at the centre of curvature (u =R)

When the object is at the centre of curvature C, the image is also at the centre of curvature C.
It is (i) Real,
(ii) Inverted,
(iii) of the same size as the object.

Case (iv) - Wnen tne object is between centre of curvature and focus (i.e., between C and F or
R> u >f)
When the object is between the focus F and the centre of curvature C, the image is beyond the
centre of curvature C.
It is (i) Real,
(ii) Inverted,
(iii) Magnified.
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Case(v) when the object is placed at the focus at F or ( u =f)

When the object is at the focus F, the image is at infinity.
It is (i) Real,
(ii) Inverted, and
(iii) Highly magnified.

.
Case (vi) - When the object is between the focus and pole (i.e., between F and P or u <f)

CASE (vii)When the object is between the focus F and the pole P, the image is behind the
mirror.
It is (i) Virtual,
(ii) Upright,
(iii) Magnified.
.
In other words, in a concave mirror when the object is very close to the mirror, the image is
erect, magnified, virtual and formed behind the mirror.
Now if the object is moved away, the size and distance of virtual image increases till the
object reaches the focus of mirror.
When the object is at focus, the image is real, magnified, inverted and it is formed at infinity.
On moving the object further away, the image shifts towards the mirror but it remains
magnified.
When the object reaches the centre of curvature of mirror, the image is also at the centre of
curvature and it is of size equal to the size of the object.
On moving it further away, the size of the image becomes diminished and it shifts towards the
focus of mirror.

RAY DIAGRAM FOR FORMATION OF IMAGE IN A CONVEX

MIRROR
 PHYSICS 2010-11 IX Malti / Manisha 9867182638 / 23712446

Image formation in convex mirror

When the object is in front of a convex mirror
the image is between the focus F and the pole P on other side of the mirror.
It is (i) Virtual,
(ii) Upright, and
(iii) Diminished.
In a convex mirror, the image formed is always virtual, upright, and diminished. It is always
situated between the pole and the focus, irrespective of the distance of object in front of the
mirror.
As the object comes closer to the mirror, the image shifts towards the pole and increases in
size. When the object, in front of the mirror, is at a distance equal to the focal length of the
mirror, the image is exactly at the mid-point between the pole and the focus.
.

12.9 USES OF SPHERICAL MIRRORS

Uses of concave mirror
.
(1) As a shaving mirror : When a concave mirror is held near the face (such that the
face is between the pole and the focus of the mirror), it gives an upright and magnified image as
shown in Fig. 12.19 and hence even the tiny hairs on the face can easily be seen. For this, a
concave mirror of large focal length is used so that the face always lie between the focus and pole
of the mirror.
(2) As a reflector : In torch, search light, head light of automobiles, cars and cycles etc., a concave
polished metallic surface is used as a reflector to obtain a parallel beam of light. For this, the
source of light {i.e., the bulb) is placed at the focus of the concave mirror which acts as a
reflector. The rays of light incident from the bulb after reflection from the concave polished
metallic surface which acts like mirror are obtained in the form of a parallel beam

(3) As a doctor's head mirror : If a parallel beam of light is incident on a concave mirror, it
focuses the beam to a point This fact enables us to use it as a doctor's head mirror to concentrate
light beam on a small area to be examined like nose, throat, ear, teeth, etc. For this, a parallel
beam of light is made to fall on the concave mirror attached to the band tied at the fore-head of the
doctor examining the body part.

Uses of convex mirror

(1) As a reflector in street lamps : A convex polished metallic surface is used in street
lamp as a reflector so as to diverge the light over a larger area.
(2) As a rear view mirror : A convex mirror diverges the incident light rays and always
forms a virtual, small and erect image between its pole and the focus. This fact enables the driver
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to use it as a rear view mirror in vehicles to see all the traffic approaching from behind. Although a
plane mirror can also be used for the purpose, but a convex mirror provides a much wider field of
view as compared to a plane mirror of the same size.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN A PLANe MIRROR, CONCAVE MIRROR AND CONVEX

MIRROR (WITHOUT TOUCHING)
To distinguish between a plane mirror, concave mirror and convex mirror, the given mirror is
held near the face and the image is seen. There can be the following three cases :
Case (i) : If the image is upright, of same size and it does not change in size by moving the
mirror towards or away from the face, the mirror is plane.
Case (ii) : If the image is upright, and magnified, but it becomes inverted on moving the mirror
away from the face, the mirror is concave.
Case (iii) : If the image is upright and diminished and it remains upright on moving the mirror
away from the face, the mirror is convex.

Difference between a concave and convex mirror