1. Curved Mirrors

2. Curved Surfaces
Sometimes reflective surfaces are bent.

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

4. 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

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

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

7. Concave Mirrors

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

9. Concave Examples

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

11. Convex Mirrors

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

13. Convex Examples

14. Applications of Curved Mirrors
Safety or Security

15. Applications of Curved Mirrors
Telescopes

16. Applications of Curved Mirrors
Communications

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

18. 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

19. “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”

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