Image Formation

Image Formation
General Physics 2
1/2
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Are the objects
that you see
actually real
and concrete?
2
In a body of water, the surface acts as a mirror and forms
reflections of real objects.
3
In this lesson, you will
learn the basics of image
formation.
4
How does an
image form?
5
Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
Explain image formation as an

application of reflection,
refraction, and paraxial
approximation
(STEM_GP12OPTIVd-22).
6
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Recall the laws of reflection and refraction.

● Explain the concept of paraxial
approximation.
● Explain image formation by a plane mirror,
a spherical mirror, and a refracting surface.
7
Image Formation
The way our eyes estimate distances of

objects we see is based upon the
assumption that a ray of light travels in a
straight line. This assumption motivated the
modeling of light as a ray. The study that
treats light as a ray is called geometric
optics.
8
Image Formation
The ray model of light explains that many light
rays leave an object in many different directions,
but only a few light rays can be traced to the
person’s eye. Moving the person’s head at a
different angle would allow another set of light
rays to enter.
9
Image Formation
Image Formation by a Plane Mirror

A plane mirror is a mirror that has a flat
and smooth surface. When you look at a
plane mirror, you will see yourself and all
the other objects in front of the plane
mirror as an image.
10
Image Formation
Image Formation by a Plane
Mirror
The distance of the image

formed by the plane
mirror is equal to the
distance of the object
from the plane mirror.
11
Image Formation
Image Formation by a Plane
Mirror
The Law of Reflection states
that the angle of reflection r is
equal to the angle of incidence
a. Suppose that a normal line
from the plane mirror is at point
B, the angle θa must equal θb.
12
Image Formation
Plane mirrors can only produce

virtual images, or those formed when
the light rays coming from a source do
not intersect to form an image.
13
Image Formation
In contrast, a real image would have the
light rays actually coming from the location
of the image itself. For instance, if you place
a paper on the position of the real image,
the light rays will form an image of the
object on the paper.
14
Image Formation
Image Formation by a Spherical Mirror
Some mirrors that are curved are
also useful in forming certain
images. These mirrors are called
spherical mirrors.
15
Image Formation
A spherical mirror is convex if the light rays
it reflects come out from the outer side of
the spherical shape. For a concave mirror,
the reflected rays come out from the inner
side of the spherical shape.
16
Image Formation
Spherical mirrors are either concave or convex.
17
Tips
It is often helpful to think of the

concave mirror as having the
shape of a “cave” when you
place the reflecting side facing
the horizontal. In this manner,
you can easily distinguish
concave mirrors from convex
mirrors!
18
Image Formation
Spherical aberration is a defect that

occurs when the outer parts of a
mirror do not bring light rays into a
similar focus as that of the central
part.
19
Image Formation
Parallel rays coming from the sun cannot converge on a
single point and produce a sharp image. This is known as
spherical aberration.
20
Image Formation
Paraxial approximation may be

applied to approximate the shape
of the parabola by fitting a
spherical shape on to it.
21
Image Formation
Image Formation by a
Spherical Mirror
The parallel rays striking a concave mirror can
converge at the focus if paraxial approximation is
applied.
22
Image Formation
A sharp image can be formed at a single point known as the
focus, located at point F of the concave mirror. The line
containing point A and point F is called the principal axis.
23
Image Formation
The distance
between point A
and point F is called
the focal length. A
real image of the
Sun can now be
seen at point F of
the concave mirror.
24
Image Formation
The rays that meet at point F are
called paraxial rays. Paraxial
approximation takes advantage of
the very small angles formed
during reflection such that the
length of line segment FB is
approximately equal to the length
of line segment FA.
25
Image Formation
Image Formation by Refraction from a Surface
Light rays undergo refraction when

they pass from one medium to
another. Simply put, it is the bending
of light rays. A surface that refracts
light rays can also form images in a
similar fashion on how a surface that
reflects light can form an image.
26
How do objects
form images?
27
Check Your Understanding
Identify what is being referred to in each statement.
1. This is a type of mirror where the reflected rays come

out from the inner side of the spherical shape.
2. The bending of light is called ________________.
3. A ______________ image appears as if light rays are
coming from the location of the image and not passing
through it.
28
Identify whether each of the following images formed

is by a plane mirror, a spherical mirror, or a refractive
surface.
29

surface.
2.
30

surface.
3.
31
Identify what is being asked.
1. This is a type of mirror where the reflected rays come

out from the inner side of the spherical shape.
2. The bending of light is called ________________.
3. A ______________ image appears as if light rays are
coming from the location of the image and not passing
through it.
32
Let’s Sum It Up!
● A plane mirror can produce an image using the

law of reflection.
○ The image formed by a plane mirror is always
a virtual image.
○ The apparent distance of the image formed is
equal to the object's distance from the plane
mirror.
33
Let’s Sum It Up!
● A spherical mirror can either be concave or

convex.
○ A defect known as the spherical aberration
affects the sharpness of the image formed by
a concave mirror.
○ A concave mirror can form a sharp image if
paraxial approximation is applied.
34
Let’s Sum It Up!
○ Paraxial approximation assumes that the

reflection angle within the reflected rays is small
enough such that the length of the reflected ray
becomes approximately equal to the focal length.
○ A concave mirror can form a real image at its focus.
○ A convex mirror can only produce virtual images
and cannot produce real images.
35
Let’s Sum It Up!
● A refracting surface can form an image using

the law of refraction.
○ The image formed by a refracting surface
would appear to be bent to an observer.
36
Challenge Yourself
How can you tell the difference

between a real and a virtual image?
Explain by giving a specific example.
37
Bibliography
Giancoli, Douglas C. Physics: Principles with Applications. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1985.
Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics (11th ed). New York: Pearson Education, 2010.
Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Physics for Scientists and Engineers. California: Cengage
Learning, 2004.
Urone, Peter Paul and Roger Hinrichs. College Physics. Texas: Rice University, 2019.
Young, H. and Roger A. Freedman. Sears and Zemansky's University Physics ( with Modern
Physics) (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.
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Image Formation

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Image Formation

Explain image formation as an

● Recall the laws of reflection and refraction.

The way our eyes estimate distances of

Image Formation by a Plane Mirror

The distance of the image

Plane mirrors can only produce

It is often helpful to think of the

Spherical aberration is a defect that

Paraxial approximation may be

Light rays undergo refraction when

Identify what is being referred to in each statement.

1. This is a type of mirror where the reflected rays come

Identify whether each of the following images formed

Identify whether each of the following images formed

Identify whether each of the following images formed

Identify what is being asked.

1. This is a type of mirror where the reflected rays come

● A plane mirror can produce an image using the

● A spherical mirror can either be concave or

○ Paraxial approximation assumes that the

● A refracting surface can form an image using

How can you tell the difference

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