Mirror Reflection: Why Does Object Look Smaller?

[Alex Jong]

If light bounces from a mirror into your eyes it's from 1 object (the mirror) if i were to have 2 objects placed somewhere then why would the one placed further look smaller in the mirror? The light is bouncing of the same object right?(the mirror) thanks for the help and sorry for the bad english thanks

 

[HallsofIvy]

An object in a mirror appears to be behind the mirror- the same distance behind as it is in front of the mirror.
Thus, if object A is farther from the mirror than object B, its image will appear to be farther behind the mirror than the image of object B, so smaller.

 

[Drakkith]

A flat mirror reverses the direction of the light, but the divergence and angles of the rays stay the same. The end result is that objects appear the same size in a flat mirror as they do if you were looking directly at the object. (As long as the distance the light travels between the object and your eye is the same in both cases)

Do these pictures help?

http://cnx.org/content/m42456/latest/Figure 26_02_06.jpg (This picture is large, so I didn't insert it into the thread.)

 

[adjacent]

You would also like to know why far objects look smaller than near objects.

What determines the size of an object is the size of that object on the retina. A far object will produce an angle lesser than an object which is near, resulting in a smaller image produced on the retina, and thus looking smaller.

The angle itself does not determine the actual size. A pencil may look larger than a sky scraper when it is held very close to the eye.But we know that the pencil is smaller. Why? Our 3d vision plays a great part in determining the distance. This combination of abilities is used to judge the size of the pencil.

Our brain is adapted to think that an object closer should look larger. This is sometimes used for producing optical illusions.

 

[sardar]

I can explain why objects appear smaller in a mirror even though the light is bouncing off the same object (the mirror). This phenomenon is due to the reflection of light off of a flat surface, such as a mirror. When light reflects off of a flat surface, it follows the law of reflection, which states that the angle of incidence (the angle at which the light hits the mirror) is equal to the angle of reflection (the angle at which the light bounces off the mirror).

In the case of a mirror, the image we see is a virtual image, meaning it appears to be behind the mirror. This is because the light rays coming from the object are reflected off the mirror, creating the illusion of an image behind the mirror. The size of the virtual image is determined by the distance between the object and the mirror, as well as the distance between the mirror and our eyes. If the object is placed further away from the mirror, the virtual image will appear smaller because the light rays are reflecting off the mirror at a smaller angle, resulting in a smaller angle of reflection and a smaller virtual image.

Additionally, the shape and curvature of the mirror can also affect the size of the virtual image. A concave mirror, which curves inward, can create a magnified virtual image, making objects appear larger. On the other hand, a convex mirror, which curves outward, can create a diminished virtual image, making objects appear smaller.

In summary, the reason why objects appear smaller in a mirror is due to the law of reflection and the distance between the object, mirror, and our eyes. I hope this explanation helps clarify the concept for you. Your English is perfectly fine, and I am always happy to help with any scientific questions you may have.