Question 17.3: Sample Exercise: Finding an Image for a Concave Mirror An ob...

Sample Exercise: Finding an Image for a Concave Mirror
An object lies 5 cm to the left of a concave mirror with a focal length of +10 cm. Where is the image? Is it real or virtual?

o = 5 cm
f = 10 cm
i = ?

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\frac{1}{o}+\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{f}

 

\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{f}-\frac{1}{o}

 

\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{10  cm}-\frac{1}{5  cm}

 

\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{10  cm}-\frac{2}{10  cm}

 

\frac{1}{i}=-\frac{1}{10  cm}

 

i = – 10  cm

Since the image distance is negative, the image lies 10 cm behind the mirror and is virtual. The situation is much like that pictured in figure 17.21.

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