Plane Mirrors

Plane mirrors are the sort used in bathrooms or drawing rooms. They give an image which is the same size as the object, and the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front.

The image is always a virtual image, always the same way up as the object, always the same shape.

These are consequences of the fact that the angle of incidence is the same size as the angle of reflection.

Though the image is the same way up, it is the wrong way round, as in the drawing below.

This mean that when you look at writing in a mirror, the writing is back to front. Ambulances take account of this. They write the mirror image of the word 'AMBULANCE' on the front so you see it the right way round when you look in the driver's mirror.

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