In physics, there are two types of spherical mirrors, known as concave and convex mirrors. Mirrors with a reflecting surface that is a portion of a hollow glass sphere are known as spherical mirrors. They differ from planner mirrors in that they usually consist of glass. Spherical mirrors with an inward curved reflecting surface are called concave mirrors. Mirrors with an outward curving reflected surface are known as convex mirrors.
What is Concave Mirror?
Concave mirrors are curved mirrors with the reflecting surface on the inner side of the curved shape. They have an inwardly curving surface that resembles the inner surface of a hollow sphere. Concave mirrors cause light rays to cover or come together after reflection, making them converging mirrors as well. Concave mirrors can create real or virtual images depending on the object and the mirror's position.
What is a Convex Mirror?
A convex mirror is a curved mirror in which the outside of the curved shape acts as the reflecting surface. Its surface has an outward curving shape that is similar to a sphere outside. Because convex mirrors allow light beams to diverge or spread out after reflection, they are often referred to as diverging mirrors. No matter where the object is, convex mirrors always create virtual, erect, and reduced pictures. They are frequently utilized in applications like security and rearview mirrors that demand a large field of vision.
Difference between Concave and Convex Mirror
- A concave mirror is a spherical mirror with the surface of the reflection curved in an inward direction, While a convex mirror is a spherical mirror with a reflecting surface with an outward bulge.
- The projection of an image on a Concave mirror can be done on the screen, while for a convex mirror, image projection cannot be done on the screen.
- The magnification for a concave mirror can be less than equal to or greater than 1, on the other hand, the value of m of a convex mirror is smaller than 1.
- A concave mirror is of a converging nature and thus is also known as a converging mirror whereas a convex mirror is of a diverging nature and hence is also known as a diverging mirror.
- As the focus of the concave mirror exists on the front side its focal length is positive whereas that of the convex mirror lies on the backside hence focal length is negative.
- Contrary to the convex mirror, which has its center of curvature on the rear, the concave mirror has its focus and center of curvature in front of it.
- A concave mirror produces an image that is generally larger than the actual image hence the produced image is of a magnified nature. On the other hand, a convex mirror produces an image that is generally smaller than the actual image, and therefore, the image produced appears to be diminished.
- An image can be projected on a screen as if they are real in a Concave mirror, on the contrary image cannot be projected on a screen as they are virtual in a convex mirror.