Plane mirror image
How far from the mirror is your reflection?
A plane mirror forms a virtual image: the reflected rays, extended backward, meet at a point behind the mirror. The image and the object are symmetric about the mirror — equal in size, equally far from the mirror, and joined by a line perpendicular to the mirror. If the eye moves, the reflection points move, but the image stays where it is.
Image distance vs. object distance
Image distance always equals object distance, wherever the eye is.
Think about it
When you walk toward a plane mirror, does your image get bigger?
No. The image in a plane mirror is always the same size as the object; it only seems "bigger" because you are closer and it fills a larger visual angle. The image's distance from the mirror always equals the object's distance from the mirror.
Model assumptionsIdeal plane mirror · side view · only the two rays from the object's top and bottom that enter the eye are drawn
Data log
Set the parameters and click “Record data”. Record several rows with different parameters to plot their relationship and fit a straight line; pause and record at different times to study how a reading changes with time.