Light – Reflection and Refraction | Class 10 Science Notes

9.2.1 Image Formation by Spherical Mirrors

The nature, position, and size of images formed by spherical mirrors depend on the object's position relative to the pole (P), focus (F), and center of curvature (C). For concave mirrors, images can be real or virtual, magnified or diminished, erect or inverted. An activity with a concave mirror and a candle flame placed at various positions relative to P, F, and C helps observe these variations. When the object is at infinity, the image forms at F, highly diminished and real. Beyond C, the image forms between F and C, diminished and real. At C, the image forms at C, same size and real. Between C and F, the image forms beyond C, enlarged and real. At F, the image forms at infinity. Between P and F, the image forms behind the mirror, enlarged, virtual, and erect. These observations are summarized in Table 9.1. Convex mirrors always form virtual, erect, and diminished images behind the mirror regardless of object position. Ray diagrams help visualize these image formations by tracing specific rays and their reflections according to the laws of reflection.

📊 Diagram: Table on page 5 (7×4) summarizing image formation by concave mirrors; Figure 9.3 showing rays parallel to principal axis reflecting through focus for concave and convex mirrors.

🧪 Activity: Activity 9.3: Using a concave mirror and candle to observe image nature, size, and position for various object placements.

🔗 Connection: Leads to detailed ray diagram representations in the next subsection.

Table on page 5 (7×4)