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Meena visited a science centre and looked into a row of strange mirrors. In one her face looked huge; in another she was tiny; in a third her brother appeared upside down! These weren't ordinary plane mirrors. They were spherical mirrors. Let's find out what makes them special.
How are spherical mirrors different from plane mirrors?
- A plane mirror gives an erect, same-size image.
- Spherical mirrors are curved inward or outward.
- They can make images larger, smaller, or upside down.
- So the image changes with the type of mirror.
Example:
In a plane mirror you look normal; in a curved science-centre mirror you may look huge or tiny.
Plane mirror
Spherical mirror
Flat reflecting surface.
Curved (inward or outward) surface.
Image is erect and same size.
Image can be larger, smaller, or inverted.
Important Points
- A plane mirror forms an erect, same-size image.
- Spherical mirrors are curved and behave differently.
- Their images can be enlarged, diminished, or inverted.
Important Definitions
- Plane mirror — a flat mirror that forms an erect image of the same size as the object.
