Image Reflected on A Mirror

An experiment to test the properties of an image reflected by a mirror was preformed. The properties are as follows:

The image is a virtual image.
The image is upright.
The image is the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front. In other words, v = u
Therefore, since v = u, the linear magnification=1.

Through the diagram on the next page, it is shown that a pin(P) was placed in front of a mirror, a relative surface. Two other pins, P1 and P2 were situated to appear collinear with the image of P from a certain angle. The same step was followed with P3 and P4.

In order to verify the properties of an image reflected by a mirror, both the distance of the image and the distance of the object, v and u respectively, were measured. u was measured to be 6.1 cm, while v was measured to be 6.2 cm.
In order to calculate the linear magnification, the following formula is used: m=v/u
Therefore m=6.2/6.1
m=0.98

The results of this particular experiment seem to have been quite accurate, in exception for the slight difference between the values of u and v. To calculate the relative percentage error, the following formula will be used:
Relative percentage error (observed m-actual m/actual m)*100
Therefore (0.98-1/1)*100=-2.0% error, meaning that error was found to be 2% less than the actual value.

Even though the rays appear to pass through the point P’, they do not as the image is virtual. It is also obvious that the image is upright. As indicated through the following page, this experiment portrays the law of reflection as the incident angle=reflected angle.

Thus it is quite clear that this experiment clearly exhibits the properties of an image formed by a plane mirror.
Samar Al Ansari
Grade 6