Centre of curvature of a mirror and the perpendicular

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between the normal line and the center of curvature of a spherical mirror. It is established that the normal line, which is always perpendicular to the mirror's surface, indeed passes through the center of curvature. When light rays travel through the center of curvature, they reflect back along the same path, confirming that the angle of incidence is zero and the incident angle is 90 degrees. This principle is fundamental in understanding the behavior of light in optics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of spherical mirrors and their properties
  • Basic knowledge of optics, specifically reflection and refraction
  • Familiarity with the concepts of angle of incidence and normal lines
  • Knowledge of geometric optics principles
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the laws of reflection in detail
  • Explore the concept of focal points in spherical mirrors
  • Learn about ray diagrams for spherical mirrors
  • Investigate applications of spherical mirrors in optical devices
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, optical engineers, and anyone interested in the principles of light reflection and the properties of mirrors.

shihab-kol
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If the normal is always 90 to the mirror can we assume that it always passes through centre of curvature?
The light rays passing through the centre are reflected back in the same direction as angle of incidence is 0
and incident angle is 90
so, the normal should pass through the centre.
 
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If the mirror is spherical it will pass through centre
 

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