Creating an Image with Plane Mirror
In this applet, an object is in front of a plane mirror.
You can choose as an object one of 3 possible objects:
  1. The letter R in English.
  2. A shape of a man.
  3. A picture.
Using your mouse, you have to click on points on the object, and the applet will show you how the image of this point is created on the other side of the plane mirror.
Every click with a mouse enables you to build the corresponding point on the other side of the mirror.
You can choose the size of the point that creates an image with each click of the mouse by changing the value of the resolution button.



Misconception:

When you look at a mirror, and raise your right arm, your image on the other side of the mirror appears to raise it left arm !

I some popular science books it is even written that a mirror switched between right and left.

If this was the case, than some very strange things would happened.

Solution:

As can be seen from the applet, the image of a point on the body, which is further away from the mirror, is created further away from the mirror on the other side.

Thus, the image in the mirror is a reverse image (backward - forward) of the object.

It so happened that the reverse image of a human object is the same as the left - right reversal, due to the symmetry of the human body.

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