Mammoth Memory

Flat mirror, tilted, ray diagram

How do you draw the ray diagram for a flat mirror which has been tilted, an object and an observer, as below:

Observer looking at an object in a tilted mirror

The way to draw the ray diagram for this situation is to carry out the three stages as we have previously learnt as follows:

The first stage is to draw an image behind the mirror by marking either end of the image as being equal-distance and perpendicular (at 90°) from the mirror.

Behind the mirror

Equal distance

The same size

1st stage of drawing a ray diagram of an observer looking at an object in a tilted mirror

You should end up with the following diagram:

Image of an object viewed in a tilted mirror

The second stage is to draw rays from the eye to the top of the image and bottom of the image as follows:

2nd stage of drawing a ray diagram of an observer looking at an object in a tilted mirror

The third stage is to join the light rays from the mirror to the object.

Completed ray diagram of an object viewed in a tilted mirror

Notice how the image is

Same size as the object

Upright

Virtual (can not be shown on a screen)

As far behind the mirror as the object is in front.

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