Mirror Image Formation

Mirror Laboratory

Object selection

✏️Pencil

▼

✏️Pencil

🐧Penguin

⬆️Arrow

💡Light

Mirror controls

Mirror Type

Object distance from mirror, u (cm)

Radius of curvature (cm)

Mirror diameter (cm)

Ray controls

Marginal Principal Many None

Simulation Viewport

Drag the object left/right • Observe rays • Observe the virtual image

Focal points (F) Image Labels Second Point

Observation Table

Updates automatically whenever the simulation changes

Mirror type	Object distance u	Radius of curvature R	Focal length f	Image distance v	Magnification m	Image height h′	Image formed	Nature	Size

Question Panel

Concave Mirror ChallengeLEVEL 1

Question JSON will load from the URL. Set the simulation values yourself, then submit.

Image distance v (cm)

Magnification m

Image type

Image nature

Image size

Adjust the simulation if needed, then submit your answer.

Book Back ProblemSOLVED

Book back question JSON will load from the URL. The answer will be shown automatically.

No problem loaded yet.

Try your own input parameters

Mirror type Object type Object distance u (cm) Object height (cm) Radius of curvature (cm) Diameter (cm)

Help Guide

Change Object Distance (u): Drag the object horizontally in the simulation area, or use the stepper inputs / number input for Object distance from mirror, u in the left panel.
Set Radius of Curvature (R): Adjust the Radius of curvature stepper on the left to modify the curvature of the mirror surface.
Choose Ray Mode: Select Marginal (3 edge/center rays), Principal (3 construction rays), Many (17 rays), or None in the Ray controls.
Read Observation Table: Check the table below the viewport. It updates live with object distance, focal length, image distance, magnification, type, nature, and size.

Virtual Image

An image formed when diverging light rays are projected backwards (dashed grey lines). It cannot be projected onto a screen and is formed behind the mirror.

Erect Image

An upright image pointing in the same vertical direction as the object. The magnification (m) value is positive.

Diminished Image

An image that is smaller than the original object. The magnification magnitude |m| is less than 1.

Mirror Physics

Follows 1/f = 1/v + 1/u. Concave mirrors form both real and virtual images depending on object distance, convex mirrors form virtual, erect, diminished images, and plane mirrors form virtual, erect, same-size images.

📝 Test Yourself Mode

Loads challenges from the URL. Set the simulation controls manually to match the question parameters, calculate the expected values, enter them in the fields, and click Submit to validate.

🧮 Problem Solver Mode

Displays book-back questions. Click Try Your Own Problem to unlock the inputs and customize the given values to solve any custom mirror problem dynamically.

Simulation Viewport

Principle Diagram

Principle of Mirror Image Formation