Curved Mirrors

Curved Surfaces Sometimes reflective surfaces are bent.

What Do You Think? Does the Law of Reflection still apply on curved surfaces? YES

θi = θr Each spot on a curved surface behaves like a teeny-tiny plane mirror. Each of the tiny plane mirrors will reflect light according to the law of reflection. θi θr θr θi

Types of Surfaces There are two types of curved mirrors. Concave Mirrors Convex Mirrors Concave Plane Convex

Concave Mirrors The reflecting surface curves inwards. Light that comes in gets bent towards the middle.

Concave Mirrors

Concave Mirrors In a concave mirror, the object appears bigger and inverted. 8

Concave Examples

Convex Mirrors The reflecting surface curves outwards. Light that comes in gets bent away from the middle.

Convex Mirrors

Convex Mirrors In a convex mirror, the object appears smaller and upright. More information is captured by the mirror and reflected.

Convex Examples

Applications of Curved Mirrors Safety or Security

Applications of Curved Mirrors Telescopes

Applications of Curved Mirrors Communications

Applications of Curved Mirrors Exploring the Universe The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico is the world’s largest, most sensitive radio telescope.

Applications of Curved Mirrors Exploring the Universe (SETI) VLA – Very Large Array Telescope Receivers in the array act together to work as one very big telescope. This technique was invented by a two Canadians in the 1950s

“Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear” Explain This Can you explain why this message is printed on car mirrors? “Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear”

Explain This Parabolic microphones are often used at sporting events to hear very quite noises far away. Can you explain this?