2.3. Reflection in A Plane Mirror Lesson

Reflection of Light
in a Plane Mirror
SNC2D - Unit 2: Optics
I can describe and
I can describe how
label how a ray of
Learning Goals
light interacts with
light is reflected in
objects it strikes
a plane mirror
I can determine the I can identify the

location of a virtual properties of an
image in a plane image in a plane
mirror mirror using SALT
Previously On… Light
▪ Light is made of electromagnetic waves
▪ Electromagnetic light comes in many forms - radio, micro, infrared,
visible, ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma waves
▪ There are 3 ways a light source produces light - incandescence (heat),
luminescence (chemical reaction), triboluminescence (friction, crushing)
▪ Rays of light travel in straight lines as a beam
▪ Parallel, convergent (towards), divergent (away)
▪ Rays of light will do one of 3 things when they strike an object
▪ Absorption, reflection, transmission
On Today’s Episode…
Radio & Microwaves
● Longest forms of
electromagnetic light
● Easy to control, can be
focused into a beam
○ Easier to control
than shorter, more
chaotic waves
Radio & Microwaves
● Communication - the waves can be

directed in narrow beams and received
by antennas (ie. radio, Bluetooth)
○ The transmitter sends a “message”
at a particular frequency
○ The receiver is tuned to the same
frequency to receive the message
○ Transmitters can modulate the
frequency or amplitude of the wave
to “encode” the message
Radio & Microwaves
● Heating - (ie.microwaves) the waves are reflected

and absorbed to cook food
○ The waves heat the food by vibrating the food
particles → more movement = higher energy =
higher temperature
○ Low frequency waves are used because higher
energy waves would cause too much damage to
cells of the food. The waves might also pass
between the space of food particles and not be
absorbed
When Light Strikes…
Properties of Light
▪ Luminous object (produces own light)
emit light in all directions
▪ Incident Light: when light emitted

from a source (ie. the Sun) strikes an
object (ie. the Earth)
▪ Nonluminous objects do not emit their

own light, but they can reflect it!
Classification of Matter
▪ Three physical properties of matter we need to consider when thinking
about how nonluminous objects interact with light waves
Transparent Translucent Opaque

Allows rays of light to Allows some rays of light to Does not let any light
pass through easily, we pass through, while others pass through it, cannot
can see through it are reflected or absorbed, see through the object
appears foggy at all
Plane Mirrors
Mirrors
▪ Image: reproduction of an object produced
through the use of light
▪ Mirror: any polished surface that exhibits

reflection
▪ Reflection: the bouncing back of light from any

surface
▪ Most mirrors actually have two parts - a reflective

surface and a sheet of glass to cover the surface
Making A Mirror
▪ Did you know that the reflective
surface of a mirror can be made
by treating glass with Al(NO3)3 or
AgNO3, NH3 and formaldehyde
vapour which leaves a thin,
reflective layer of Ag/Al
Plane Mirrors
▪ Plane Mirror: a flat, reflective surface
▪ Incident Ray: the ray moving towards the surface
▪ Reflected Ray: the ray reflecting/bouncing off the surface

Plane Mirrors
▪ Normal: imaginary line, perpendicular to the surface. Placed where the
incident ray hits the mirror (called the point of incidence)
Plane Mirrors
▪ Angle of Incidence (Өi): angle between the incident ray and the normal
▪ Angle of Reflection (Өr): angle between the reflected ray and the
normal
The Law of Reflection
1. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection (Өi = Өr)
2. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same
plane
1 2
Reflection
What You See in a Plane Mirror
▪ Image: reproduction of an original This is what the
object through the use of light eye sees when
looking at the
▪ Virtual image: image formed by
mirror!
light that does not come from the
original image’s location
▪ The light that the person sees
when looking in a mirror is not
directly from the object, but
it’s the light that is reflected
off of the mirror Dotted lines for rays and images
“behind” the mirror
Locating an Image in a Plane Mirror
▪ Step 1
▪ Identify the top and bottom

of the object, you can label
these points A and B
▪ Step 2
▪ Draw a perpendicular line

from A to the mirror
▪ Step 3
▪ Draw an incident ray (incoming

ray from object) starting from A.
Draw a normal (imaginary,
perpendicular line) where the
incident ray hits the mirror. Use a
protractor to draw a reflecting
ray
▪ Step 4
▪ Extend line A to a point of equal

distance on the other side (or
“inside”) of the mirror. This will
be called Ai (i = image)
This is going
▪ Object distance = Image
to be point A,
distance but as it is
▪ Connect Ai to the reflected ray seen in the
mirror
▪ Step 5
▪ Repeat steps 2-4 for B
▪ Then, draw the virtual image

using Ai and Bi as your guide
Steps on how to draw an
image as seen by an eye
▪ Object (arrow) is found on the
reflective side of the mirror
▪ The object’s image is going to be A
found on the other side of the
mirror because plane mirrors
B
make virtual images
I personally prefer this method since you aren’t just
picking any incidence ray from the object, but you
are using the ones that will create the reflected rays
that reach the eye and form the image. Also, this
type of question comes up frequently… just saying
▪ Using a line perpendicular to the
mirror, measure the distance
from point A to the mirror A
B
▪ Measure the same distance on
the other side of the mirror and
label this point Ai A Ai
▪ This will be point A as it is
seen in the mirror
B
(remember, the image is
virtual so it will be found
behind the mirror)
▪ Follow the same steps for point B
A Ai
B Bi
▪ Connect the points to create the
image behind the mirror
▪ Once you’ve drawn the image, A Ai
you can get rid of the lines we
used to find it
B Bi
▪ Draw a ray from point Ai to the
eye
▪ Be mindful that rays behind A Ai
the mirror are dashed/dotted
▪ What the eye sees are the
B Bi
reflected rays that form the
virtual image, which is why we
can connect them
▪ From the object, draw an ray of
incidence from point A to the
point of incidence A Ai
▪ Instead of drawing the ray of
incidence, we are working
B Bi
backwards from what the eye
sees and then filling in the ray
of incidence
▪ Follow the same steps from point
Bi
A Ai
B Bi
▪ Follow the same steps from point
Bi
A Ai
B Bi
If you still
need more
help with
drawing
virtual images,
watch this
video and
draw the
diagram with
them.
https://youtu.be/xXjWpVibaY4
Describing Images
Describing Images - SALT
▪ Compared to the original object…
Size Attitude Location Type
Is image the Is the image Is the image in Is the image real
same size, upright or front of or (more on this
smaller or inverted? behind the later) or virtual
bigger? mirror? (“behind the
mirror”)?
Describing Images - SALT
▪ Images produced using a plane mirror will
ALWAYS have:
▪ Size - same size
▪ Attitude - upright
▪ Location - behind the mirror, same
distance away from mirror as the
object
▪ Type - virtual (“inside/behind the
mirror”)
Plane Mirror Image Characteristics
▪ Images in a plane mirror appear to
be backwards compared to how we
would view the object if we were to
look directly at it
▪ This is why the word ambulance
is written backwards on their
vehicles - so drivers can read it
properly in their (plane) mirrors
SNC2D1 Homework Policy
▪ Every so often, I will be asking you to turn in a few questions for a
completion mark (did you/did you not complete it)
▪ I will be checking for your work at the beginning of each lesson when
homework questions are due and then we will take them up as part of
our review from the previous lesson
▪ Homework questions will be found right after each “Work Time” slide at
the end of the lesson slides, sometimes I will provide a printout for you
▪ Use practice time in class to hone your skills and then spend a few
minutes at home to complete the questions for the next lesson
Homework Question
Locate the image of the arrow, as it would be seen by the eye, using a plane mirror.
Work Time!
● You have two worksheets to hone
your skills with regards to plane
mirrors:
○ Locating Images
○ Ray Diagrams
● Set good learning habits now early
in the unit so you do not fall behind
when we start to look at more
complicated mirror and diagrams
● As always, reach out whenever you
need help

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Reflection of Light

I can determine the I can identify the

● Communication - the waves can be

● Heating - (ie.microwaves) the waves are reflected

▪ Incident Light: when light emitted

▪ Nonluminous objects do not emit their

Transparent Translucent Opaque

▪ Mirror: any polished surface that exhibits

▪ Reflection: the bouncing back of light from any

▪ Most mirrors actually have two parts - a reflective

▪ Incident Ray: the ray moving towards the surface

▪ Reflected Ray: the ray reflecting/bouncing off the surface

▪ Identify the top and bottom

▪ Draw a perpendicular line

▪ Draw an incident ray (incoming

▪ Extend line A to a point of equal

▪ Repeat steps 2-4 for B

▪ Then, draw the virtual image

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