Spherical Mirrors

Question 1

How are spherical mirrors made?

Answer 1

Spherical mirrors are made by silvering one side of a hollow glass sphere. The surface on which silvering is done is called the silvered surface and the other surface of the hollow sphere is called the reflecting surface.

Question 2

What are the kinds of spherical mirrors?

Answer 2

Concave mirror
Convex mirror

Question 3

Characteristics of Concave mirror

Answer 3

• Made by silvering on the outer surface of the hollow sphere.
• Reflection takes place from the inner surface.
• The image is virtual and magnified when the object is placed very close to the mirror.
• The image is real and diminished when the object is placed far away from the mirror.

Question 4

Characteristics of Convex mirror

Answer 4

• Made by silvering on the inner surface of the hollow sphere.
• The reflecting surface Is the outer surface.
• ## Froms Virtual, Erect and Diminished image regardless of any position

Question 5

State some terms related to a spherical mirror

Answer 5

Pole
Centre of curvature
Radius of curvature
Principal axis

Question 6

Define pole

Answer 6

• The geometric centre of the spherical surface of the mirror is called the pole.
• It is represented by the symbol P

Question 7

Define centre of curvature

Answer 7

• The centre of curvature is the centre of the sphere of which the mirror is a part.
• It is represented by the symbol C.
• The normal at any point of the mirror passes through the centre of curvature.

Question 8

Define radius of curvature

Answer 8

• The radius of curvature Is the radius of the sphere of which the mirror is a part.
• Thus it is the distance of the centre of curvature from any point of the mirror.
• It is represented by the symbol R

Question 9

What is principal axis?

Answer 9

• It is a straight line joining the two poles of the mirror to its centre of curvature.
• The line PC represents the principal axis.
• It may extend on either side of the pole.