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Mirror Equation definitions Flashcards

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Mirror Equation definitions
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  • Mirror Equation
    Relates object distance, image distance, and focal length to determine image location in mirrors.
  • Spherical Mirror
    A mirror shaped as if it were part of a sphere, characterized by a radius of curvature.
  • Radius of Curvature
    The radius of the sphere from which a spherical mirror is conceptually derived.
  • Focal Length
    Half the radius of curvature, indicating the distance from the mirror to the focal point.
  • Concave Mirror
    A converging mirror with a positive focal length, capable of producing real images.
  • Convex Mirror
    A diverging mirror with a negative focal length, producing only virtual images.
  • Plane Mirror
    A flat mirror with an infinite focal length, producing virtual images with equal size.
  • Real Image
    An inverted image formed by converging light rays, having a positive image distance.
  • Virtual Image
    An upright image formed by diverging light rays, having a negative image distance.
  • Magnification
    The ratio of image height to object height, indicating size and orientation of the image.
  • Sign Convention
    Rules determining the positivity or negativity of focal lengths and image distances.
  • Object Distance
    The distance from the object to the mirror, used in the mirror equation.
  • Image Distance
    The distance from the image to the mirror, used in the mirror equation.
  • Upright Image
    An image with the same orientation as the object, indicated by positive magnification.
  • Inverted Image
    An image with an opposite orientation to the object, indicated by negative magnification.