Difference Between Concave and Convex Mirror

Edited By Vishal kumar | Updated on Sep 18, 2024 05:36 PM IST

Smooth, polished, or gleaming surfaces are called mirrors. They produce images by reflecting the light beam. Plane and spherical mirrors are the two types of mirrors. Spherical mirrors are further divided into convex and concave mirrors. To grasp the difference between concave and convex mirrors, it is necessary to understand what they are.

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This Story also Contains

Definition Of Convex Mirror
Definition Of Concave Mirror
Surface Difference Between Concave and Convex Mirror
Difference Between Concave Mirror And Convex Mirror
Summary

Difference Between Concave and Convex Mirror

Convex mirrors have an outwardly bulging reflecting surface, and concave mirrors have an inwardly bulging reflecting surface. The image that forms in these two mirrors is the most significant distinction. To put it another way, convex mirrors create smaller pictures whereas concave mirrors create larger ones.

Definition Of Convex Mirror

A convex mirror is a reflective surface that bulges outward, causing light rays to diverge after reflecting on the surface. Convex mirrors always produce virtual images that are upright, reduced in size, and appear to be located behind the mirror. They are used in applications such as vehicle side mirrors and surveillance mirrors because they provide a wider field of view.

Definition Of Concave Mirror

A concave mirror is a mirror with a curved surface that curves inward, resembling a bowl. It reflects incoming light rays that strike its surface inward, converging them to a focal point in front of the mirror. Concave mirrors produce inverted and magnified real images when the object is placed beyond the focal length. If the object is within the focal length the image produced will be virtual, upright, and enlarged. Concave mirrors are used in applications like astronomical telescopes, headlights, and cosmetic mirrors.

Surface Difference Between Concave and Convex Mirror

A mirror with a curved reflecting surface is known as a curved mirror. Convex (bulging outward) or concave (bulging inward) surfaces are possible. The surfaces of most curved mirrors are formed like a section of a sphere. Below, students can check the surface difference between concave and convex mirrors with a diagram:

Concave Mirror

The surface curves inward, resembling a bowl.
Light rays converge at a focal point
Have a positive focal length, with the focal point located in front of the mirror.
Used in applications requiring magnification

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Concave mirror

Convex Mirror

The surface is bulging outward
It causes light rays to spread apart
The focal point is located behind the mirror
Have a negative focal length
Used in applications requiring a broader view

Convex Mirror

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Difference Between Concave Mirror And Convex Mirror

The difference between concave mirror and convex mirror is tabulated below:

S.I No	Feature	Concave Mirrors	Convex Mirrors
1	Shape	• Has a curved surface that curves inward	• Has a curved surface that bulges outward
2	Focal Point	• Has a real focal point in front of the mirror	• Has a virtual focal point behind the mirror
3	Nature of mirror	• Diverging Mirror	• Converging Mirror
4	Image creation	• Creates enlarged images	• Creates diminishes images
5	Centre of curvature	• In front of the mirror	• Behind the mirror
6	Image size	• Magnified	• Shrunk
7	Field of view	• Provides a narrower field of view	• Provides a wider view of the field
8	Focal length	• Positive focal length	• Negative Focal length
9	Image	• Produce real images or virtual images depending on the object's position relative to the focal point	• Produce virtual images (small and upright) regardless of the object's distance
10	Uses	• Used in telescopes, headlights, makeup mirrors, and dental instruments	• Used in vehicle side mirrors, road safety mirrors, security mirrors, and traffic mirrors
11	Projection of image	• Images can be projected on the screen	• Virtual images formed cannot be projected on the screen

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Summary

In this article, we discussed about two types of mirrors, their uses, and the differences between them. A concave mirror is a spherical mirror with an inwardly curved reflection surface, whereas a convex mirror is a spherical mirror with an outwardly bulged reflecting surface. A concave mirror has a converging character and is referred to as a converging mirror, whereas a convex mirror has a diverging nature and is thus referred to as a diverging mirror. The focal length of the concave mirror is negative and the focal length of the convex mirror is positive. A concave mirror's magnification might be less than, equal to, or greater than 1. A convex mirror, on the other hand, has a value of magnification that is less than 1.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. In terms of type, what is the difference between a concave or convex mirror?

Concave mirrors are converging mirrors, whereas convex mirrors are diverging.

2. In terms of physical appearance, what is the difference between concave and convex mirrors?

A concave mirror is created when the outer surface of a spherical mirror is painted whereas A convex mirror has the inside surface of a spherical mirror painted.

3. In terms of focal length what is the difference between concave and convex mirrors?

The focal length of the concave mirror is negative because the focus is on the front side, but the focal length of the convex mirror is positive because the focus is on the backside.

4. What are the 3 main differences between a convex and concave mirror?

The following are the three differences between concave and convex mirrors:

A concave mirror is a spherical mirror with an inwardly curved reflection surface, whereas a convex mirror is a spherical mirror with an outwardly bulged reflecting surface.
A concave mirror has a converging character and is so-referred to as a converging mirror, whereas a convex mirror has a diverging nature and is thus referred to as a diverging mirror.
The focal length of the concave mirror is negative and the focal length of the convex mirror is positive.

5. What are a concave and a convex mirror?

Concave and convex mirrors are the types of spherical mirrors.

Concave mirrors have an inward curvature in the centre and reflect light inward to focus it on a single focal point. Concave mirrors provide a variety of images depending on the distance between the mirror and the item.

Convex mirrors have an outward bulge in the center that allows light to fall directly on the item. It's also known as a diverging mirror since it can diverge the rays that fall on its surface after reflection. This is a reference to the fact that parallel rays diverge when they touch the reflected surface of a convex mirror.

6. What is the full form of MIRROR?

Full form of MIRROR - Image Reflection Refraction Object Rendering

7. Which mirror is used in vehicles?

Convex mirrors are used in vehicles as rear-view mirrors.

8. Which mirror is used for shaving?

Concave mirrors are used for shaving because they magnify the reflection, providing clear and upright images to see the facial details.