Mirrors are optical devices that permit the reflection of light. A mirror demonstrates the law of reflection as it forms the image of the object placed before it. How is image formation possible on mirrors?      Image formation is possible by means of paraxial approximation that makes use of light rays that form small angles with respect to the principal axis.   Image formation is related to Snell’s law that states that the ratio of sin θi to the sin θr is equal to the ratio of the n2 to the n1.   Image formation is possible when a light is reflected away from the normal as it passes from a denser medium to a less optically dense medium.   Image formation can be traced using ray diagrams to identify the location, size, and nature of the image produced by different types of mirrors.

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Chapter36: Image Formation
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Problem 36.76AP
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22.) Mirrors are optical devices that permit the reflection of light. A mirror demonstrates the law of reflection as it forms the image of the object placed before it. How is image formation possible on mirrors? 
 
 
  • Image formation is possible by means of paraxial approximation that makes use of light rays that form small angles with respect to the principal axis.
     
  • Image formation is related to Snell’s law that states that the ratio of sin θi to the sin θr is equal to the ratio of the n2 to the n1.
     
  • Image formation is possible when a light is reflected away from the normal as it passes from a denser medium to a less optically dense medium.
     
  • Image formation can be traced using ray diagrams to identify the location, size, and nature of the image produced by different types of mirrors.
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