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Reflection of light at curved surfaces

Reflection of Light: The phenomenon of bouncing back of light into the same
medium by the smooth surface is called reflection.
Incident light: Light which falls on the surface is called incident light.

Reflected light: Light which goes back after reflection is called reflected light.

The angle of incidence: The angle between the incident ray and the normal.

An angle of reflection: The angle between the reflected ray and the normal.

Mirror: The surface which can reflect the light is a mirror.

Plane Mirror: If the reflecting surface is a plane then the mirror is plane.

Spherical Mirror: If the reflecting surface is part of the hollow sphere then the mirror
is a spherical mirror.
The spherical mirror is of two types:

• Convex mirror: In this mirror reflecting surface is convex. It diverges

the light so it is also called a diverging mirror.
• Concave mirror: In this mirror reflecting surface is concave. It
converges the light so it is also called converging mirror.

Parameters of Mirror:

• Center of Curvature: The centre of hollow sphere of which mirror is a

part.
• The radius of curvature: The radius of hollow sphere of which mirror is a
part.
• Pole: The centre of mirror (middle point) is pole.
 • Principal axis: The line joining the pole and center of curvature is called
principal axis.
• Aperture: Size of mirror is called aperture of mirror.
• Principal Focus: The point on the principal axis, where all the incident
rays parallel to principal axis converge or diverge after reflection through
mirror.
• Focal Length: The distance between pole and focus point is focal length.

Special Rays for Formation of Image:

• A ray of light which is parallel to the principal axis of a spherical mirror,

after reflection converges or diverges from focus.
• A ray of light passing through or appearing from the center of curvature
of spherical mirror is reflected back along the same path.
• A ray of light passing through or appearing from the focus of spherical
mirror becomes parallel to the principal axis.
• A ray of light which is incident at the pole of a spherical mirror is
reflected back making same angle with principal axis.

Use of Concave Mirror: It is used as a makeup mirror, the reflector in torches, in

headlights of cars and searchlights, doctor’s head-mirrors, solar furnace, etc.

Sign Conventions of Spherical Mirror

• All the distances are measured from the pole of the mirror as the origin.
• Distances measured in the direction of incident rays are taken as
positive.
• Distances measured opposite to the direction of incident rays are taken
as negative.
• Distances measured upward and perpendicular to the principal axis are
taken as positive.
• Distances measured downward and perpendicular to the principal axis
are taken as negative.
1f=1v+1u …where f, v and u are focal length, image distance, object
distance

Linear Magnification: This is the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the
object.
m=h‘h …where m = magnification, h = height of image, h’ = height of object
• Use of Convex Mirror: Convex mirror used as rear view mirror in vehicles, as
shop security mirrors, etc.

Pole P- it is the centre of the mirror.

• Centre of curvature C- it is the centre of the sphere of which the mirror is
part.
• Radius of curvature r- it is the radius of the sphere of which the mirror is
part.
 • Principal axis- it is a line drawn through the pole of the mirror and the centre
of curvature.
• Principal focus F – for a concave mirror, it is the point at which all rays
parallel and close to the principal axis converge at after reflection. In the case
of a convex mirror, it is the point at which all rays parallel and close to the
principal axis appear to diverge from after reflection.(See the figure above). It
is also called the focal point.
• Focal plane- it is a plane perpendicular to the principal axis and passes
through the focal point. It is the plane where parallel rays but not parallel to
the principal axis converge at or appear to diverge from after reflection.
• Focal length f- it is the distance between the pole of the mirror and its focal
point.

When rays are produced behind the mirror, they are indicated using dotted lines.
This means that they are imaginary or virtual. Hence the focal point and focal length
of a concave mirror are real while the focal point and focal length of a convex mirror
arevirtual. A real focal length is given a positive sign while a negative focal length is
given a negative sign.

Ray diagrams

Curved mirrors form images when two rays intersect or appear to intersect. In ray
diagrams, we use the following symbols to represen

t the two curved mirrors:

There are four important rays used in ray diagrams. They include:
 • A ray passing through C or appearing to pass through C:

The ray is reflected along the same path.

• A ray parallel and close to the principal axis.

The ray is reflected through the principal focus F for a concave mirror or appear to
come from the principal focus of the convex mirror.

• A ray passing through the principal focus F or appearing to pass through F

The reflected ray moves parallel to the principal axis (by the principle of
reversibility of light).

• A ray incident at the pole of the mirror.

The ray is reflected making the same angle with the principal axis as the incident
ray (i.e <i=<r).

Image formation by curved mirrors

The table below provides a summary of how a concave and convex mirror forms
images:
Position of the Image formation by concave mirror Image formation by convex
object mirror
Object at infinity Image formed is inverted, real , Image formed is upright, virtual
diminished and formed at F. and diminished.
Object beyond C Image formed is real, inverted and Image formed is virtual, upright
diminished. and diminished.
Object at C Image formed is real, inverted and same Image formed is virtual, upright
size as the object and diminished.
Object between C Image formed is real, inverted and Image formed is virtual, upright
and F magnified. and diminished.
Object at F Image formed is real, inverted and at Image formed is virtual, upright
infinity. and diminished.
Object between F Image formed is virtual, upright and Image formed is virtual, upright
and P magnified. and diminished.
Note that a concave mirror always forms real and inverted and images except when
the object is placed between the focal point and the pole of the mirror when it forms
a virtual and inverted image. On the other hand, a convex mirror always forms a
virtual, erect and diminished image.

A real image is that image formed by actual intersection of real rays while a virtual
image is formed by imaginary rays. Furthermore, a real image can be formed on a
screen while a virtual image cannot be formed on a screen.

Linear magnification and the mirror formula

Linear magnification is defined as the ratio of the image size to the object size;

Magnification= Image size/ Object size.

Similarly, it can be expressed as the ratio of the distance of the image to the
distance v of object u from the mirror. Magnification has no unit.

Suppose an object is placed u cm in front of a spherical mirror of focal length f such

that the image is formed v cm from the mirror, then u, v and f are related by the
equation;

1/f= 1/u + 1/v.

This equation is referred to as the mirror formula. The formula holds for both
concave and convex mirrors.

When applying the mirror formula, it is necessary to observe the following points:

• That all distances are measured from the mirror as the origin.
• All real distances are positive while all virtual distances are negative.
• A concave mirror has a positive focal length while a convex mirror has a
negative focal length.

Example
 1. Determine the position, size and nature of the image of an object 4cm tall
placed on the principal axis of a concave mirror of focal length 15cm at a
distance 30cm from the mirror.

solution
u=30cm, f= 15cm, ho=4cm

1/v=1/f-1/u

= 1/15 – 1/30 =1/30

v =30cm

Also, m=v/u =hi/ho

Thus, hi=(30cm x 4cm)/30cm =4cm.

Thus the image formed is real and same size as the object.

2. A convex mirror of focal length 9cm produces an image on its axis 6cm from the
mirror. Determine the position of the object.

solution

f= -9cm, v= -6cm.

1/u = 1/f – 1/v = -1/9 – (-1/6)

1/u= (-2+3)/ 18 =1/18

u=18cm

Determination of the focal length of a concave mirror

The focal length of a concave mirror can be estimated by focusing a distant object
on a screen. Parallel rays from a distant object converge at the focal plane of the
mirror.
The distance between the mirror and the screen is the estimated focal length of the concave
mirror.
look at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-zQ51o90tI

Alternatively, the object can be placed in front of the concave mirror at various distances and
measuring the corresponding image distances then applying the mirror formula. From the
values of u and v, appropriate graph is plotted. There are three possible graphs that can be
obtained from the mirror formula. These include:

• A graph of 1/v against 1/u

Rearranging the mirror formula, we have;

1/v= -1/u + 1/f

Hence a graph of 1/v against 1/u is a straight line having a negative gradient.

At the y-intercept, 1/u=0. Substituting this in the mirror formula, we obtain;

1/f=1/v. thus the y-intercept is equal to 1/f.

Similarly, at the x-intercept 1/v=0. Substituting in the mirror formula, we obtain;

1/f=1/u i.e the x-intercept is equal to 1/f.

If the values of f obtained from the y-intercept and x-intercept above are different then we
determine their average.
 • A graph of uv against u+v

From the mirror formula, we have;

1/f=1/u + 1/v =(v+u)/uv

And uv=f(u+v)

Hence a graph of uv against u+v is a straight line through the origin whose slope gives the
focal length of the mirror.

uv (cm2)

Slope=f

(u+v) cm

• A graph of magnification M against v

Also from the mirror formula, if we multiply through by v, we obtain:

v/f =v/u + v/v

But v/u =magnification M.

Then, v/f =M+1.

Rearranging the equation we have;

M=v/f -1

Hence a graph of magnification M against v is a straight line whose slope is equal to 1/f and
y-intercept is -1.

v (cm)

-1

Applications of spherical mirrors and curved reflecting surfaces

Concave mirrors

Concave mirrors are used by dentists to magnify teeth during extraction and as a shaving
mirror. In both cases, the mirror forms upright and magnified images. Concave reflectors are
also used in projector lamps, solar concentrators and telescopes.
r

shaving mirror

Convex mirrors

Convex mirrors can be used in supermarkets to monitor customers’ activities and as driving
mirrors in cars and motorcycles. This is because convex mirrors provide a wide field of view
compared to a plane mirror.

However, a convex mirror used as a driving mirror has one limitation. It forms a virtual
diminished image which appears to be farther away from the observer than it actually is. This
may lead to misjudgment by the observer which can result into accidents.