Reflection at Curved Surfaces
Light · Curved Mirrors
Syllabus tag: KCSE | Physics | Form 2 | Topic 15 Reflection at Curved Surfaces
Lesson objectives
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
- Define the terms used with curved mirrors.
- Draw ray diagrams for concave and convex mirrors.
- Apply the mirror formula and magnification formula.
- State the uses of curved mirrors.
Summary
A concave mirror curves inwards and converges light; a convex mirror curves outwards and diverges it. The image formed depends on where the object is placed relative to the principal focus and centre of curvature. The mirror formula is 1/f = 1/u + 1/v, and f = r ÷ 2.