Reflection from a real concave mirror

Author:
Ray Tuck
This simulation looks at the reflection of a single incident ray from a concave spherical mirror. The ray is reflected back from the mirror so that the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection are the same.
  • Drag point P to change the position of the incident ray.
  • The dotted line CP is the normal to the mirror (it is the radius).
  • The angle between the incident ray and the normal is the same as the angle between the normal and the reflected ray according to the law of reflection.
  • Drag point C to change the curvature of the mirror.
  • The point F is half way between the centre of curvature (C) and the centre of the mirror. F is the focal point.