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 = ?

Question

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 = ?

Accepted Answer

[latex]\frac{1}{o}+\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{f}[/latex]

[latex]\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{f}-\frac{1}{o}[/latex]

[latex]\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{10 cm}-\frac{1}{5 cm}[/latex]

[latex]\frac{1}{i}=\frac{1}{10 cm}-\frac{2}{10 cm}[/latex]

[latex]\frac{1}{i}=-\frac{1}{10 cm}[/latex]

[latex]i = - 10 cm[/latex]

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.

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

Related Answered Questions

Sample Exercise: A Virtual Magnified Image An object 2 cm in height lies 10 cm to the left of a positive lens with a focal length of 20 cm. a. Where is the image located? b. What is its magnification? ...

Verified Answer:

Sample Exercise: Viewing an Object from Underwater A girl swimming underwater views a dragonfly hovering over her in the air. The dragonfly appears to be about 60 cm above the water surface. What is the actual height of the dragonfly above the water? Since the object (the dragonfly) is in air, ...

Verified Answer: