Shedding Light on Curved Mirrors

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Description

Most of us have experienced the amusement (and possible embarrassment) that goes with standing in front of a distorted funhouse mirror. What many people don't realize is that convex and concave mirrors are actually quite useful. Beginning with a basic discussion of reflection in flat mirrors, this video shows how curved mirrors are used in a wide variety of industrial and safety-related applications. Viewers learn how convex mirrors are important tools in automobile driving, traffic management, and security due to their outwardly curved surfaces…and likewise, how concave mirrors produce images and how concave reflectors are incorporated into designs for headlights, satellite dishes, solar cookers, and more. The concept of angle of incidence is discussed in detail. As a departure point for more advanced subjects like linear curved reflectors and parabolic reflectors, this is a helpful and entertaining primer.