What is the significance of Q in understanding curved mirrors?

[FizixFreak]

while reading curved mirrors we come across a term denoted as Q(the distance of image from the mirror)but as the image is formed right on the mirror so the distance of the image from the mirror should be zero?? which is of course not the case.

 

[Dadface]

while reading curved mirrors we come across a term denoted as Q(the distance of image from the mirror)but as the image is formed right on the mirror so the distance of the image from the mirror should be zero?? which is of course not the case.

It may seem that the image is actually at the mirror but it isn't.The image is at the place where the reflected rays pass through in the case of a real image or at the place where the reflected rays seem to come from in the case of a virtual image.Think of the virtual image in a plane mirror,this is as far behind the mirror as the object is in front.

 

[FizixFreak]

It may seem that the image is actually at the mirror but it isn't.The image is at the place where the reflected rays pass through in the case of a real image or at the place where the reflected rays seem to come from in the case of a virtual image.Think of the virtual image in a plane mirror,this is as far behind the mirror as the object is in front.

one really weird thing came into my mind since the rays from the body are intersecting at some other point the mirror is actually just receiving the image from that place (air i believe?) and showing it to us.

 

[FizixFreak]

any body agrees with me?

 

[FizixFreak]

any body out there

 

[FizixFreak]

i really need to know this stuff so please is there anybody here that can help

 

[cragar]

I assume you know how to ray trace . The light rays come from the object and reflect off the mirror and then you trace them back to a point of convergence and this will be where you virtual image is . Depends on the situation . I'm not quite sure what your question is .

 

[FizixFreak]

I assume you know how to ray trace . The light rays come from the object and reflect off the mirror and then you trace them back to a point of convergence and this will be where you virtual image is . Depends on the situation . I'm not quite sure what your question is .

i am aware of all that stuff.
i wanted to ask that if all the images are formed on the mirrors so why do we use the term Q(distance of image from the mirror) as the image is being formed right on the mirror so that would imlply that the distance of image from the mirror is zero in any case but of course it is not taken to be zero.
so that is my question

 

[cragar]

Our brain could interpret the image in front of the mirror or behind it . Not from the photon source .

 

[FizixFreak]

one really weird thing came into my mind since the rays from the body are intersecting at some other point the mirror is actually just receiving the image from that place (air i believe?) and showing it to us.

what do you think about this view