Practice Mirrors in Physics

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

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Quick Recap

Mirrors are reflective surfaces that form images by reflection. Physics courses usually study plane mirrors and curved mirrors such as concave and convex mirrors.

A mirror sends light back in a predictable way, so your eye traces the rays and sees an image.

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

easy
A convex mirror always forms what type of image for a real object?

Example 2

medium
A concave mirror (f=10 cmf=10 \text{ cm}) has an object at do=5 cmd_o = 5 \text{ cm} (inside the focal point). Find did_i and the image type.

Example 3

hard
A concave mirror has f=12 cmf=12\text{ cm}. An object is placed at do=18 cmd_o=18\text{ cm} then moved a small Δdo=0.2 cm\Delta d_o = 0.2\text{ cm} closer. Use di=fdo/(do−f)d_i = f d_o/(d_o - f) to estimate Δdi\Delta d_i.

Example 4

medium
Where must an object sit in front of a concave mirror with f=10 cmf=10\text{ cm} to produce an image at di=−20 cmd_i = -20\text{ cm} (virtual)?

Example 5

medium
A convex mirror has f=−15 cmf = -15 \text{ cm}. An object is at do=30 cmd_o = 30 \text{ cm}. Find the image distance.

Example 6

medium
A 4 cm tall object stands before a concave mirror, giving do=30 cmd_o = 30 \text{ cm} and di=15 cmd_i = 15 \text{ cm}. Find the image height.

Example 7

easy
Convex mirrors give a focal length with what sign in the sign convention used here?

Example 8

hard
A concave mirror produces a real image 36 cm36\text{ cm} from the mirror when the object is 12 cm12\text{ cm} from the mirror. Find ff.

Example 9

challenge
A telescope uses a concave primary mirror with f=2.0 mf = 2.0\text{ m}. The Moon (do≈∞d_o \approx \infty) has angular size 0.0093 rad0.0093\text{ rad}. Find the size of the lunar image at the focal plane.

Example 10

medium
A concave mirror has f=20 cmf = 20\text{ cm}. The object distance is twice the focal length. State the image type and magnification.

Example 11

hard
A concave mirror with f=15 cmf=15\text{ cm} forms an image 5 cm5\text{ cm} tall from a 3 cm3\text{ cm} tall object. Find the object distance, assuming the image is inverted and real.

Example 12

medium
A concave mirror (f=10 cmf=10 \text{ cm}) has an object at do=15 cmd_o = 15 \text{ cm}. Find the image distance and state if it is real or virtual.

Example 13

easy
A concave mirror with f=10 cmf = 10\text{ cm} has an object at do=40 cmd_o = 40\text{ cm}, image at di=13.3 cmd_i = 13.3\text{ cm}. Find the magnification.

Example 14

medium
A concave mirror (f=10 cmf=10 \text{ cm}) has an object at do=20 cmd_o=20 \text{ cm}. Find the magnification.

Example 15

medium
A 2 cm2\text{ cm} tall object is in front of a convex mirror with f=−12 cmf=-12\text{ cm}, at do=24 cmd_o = 24\text{ cm}. Find the image height.

Example 16

challenge
A concave mirror produces an image twice as tall and inverted, with the object at do=15 cmd_o = 15 \text{ cm}. Find the focal length.

Example 17

hard
An object stands 15 cm15\text{ cm} from a concave mirror with f=10 cmf=10\text{ cm}, then moves to 25 cm25\text{ cm}. Find the change in image distance.

Example 18

medium
A concave mirror has f=15 cmf=15\text{ cm} and the object is at do=45 cmd_o = 45\text{ cm}. Find did_i and the magnification.

Example 19

challenge
Two plane mirrors meet at a 60∘60^\circ angle, like a kaleidoscope corner. How many images of a single object are produced? (Use N=360∘/θ−1N = 360^\circ/\theta - 1.)

Example 20

easy
A concave mirror has focal length f=10 cmf = 10 \text{ cm}. An object is at do=30 cmd_o = 30 \text{ cm}. Find the image distance.
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