Understanding the Reflection of Light: Ray Optics and Concave Mirrors

Click For Summary
A ray of light passing through the center of curvature of a concave mirror reflects back along the same path due to the laws of reflection. This occurs because the ray is incident along the radius of the mirror, which means it strikes the surface perpendicularly. The normal line at the point of incidence is aligned with the radius, resulting in no change in the direction of the ray after reflection. Understanding the geometry of the mirror and the behavior of light is crucial for grasping this phenomenon. The principles of ray optics effectively explain why this reflection occurs as described.
Docscientist
Messages
101
Reaction score
11
Why a ray of light passing through the centre of curvature of a concave mirror,gets reflected along the same path?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Docscientist said:
Why a ray of light passing through the centre of curvature of a concave mirror,gets reflected along the same path?

one should apply the laws of reflection to get answer to your question!
moreover the ray is not passing through but its incident along the radius then it returns after reflection on the same path.
 
Where does the normal (perpendicular) to the surface of the mirror at the point where the ray comes onto the mirror lie?
 
The book claims the answer is that all the magnitudes are the same because "the gravitational force on the penguin is the same". I'm having trouble understanding this. I thought the buoyant force was equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. Weight depends on mass which depends on density. Therefore, due to the differing densities the buoyant force will be different in each case? Is this incorrect?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
442
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
810
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
8K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
1K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K