Question

The image of our face in a plane mirror is:
A) Real
B) Magnified
C) Diminished
D) Virtual

Answer 1

Hint: The plane mirror is a mirror with flat reflective surface. For the light ray strikes on the plane mirror, then angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. Plane mirrors are the only types of mirror which the real object always produces an image that is virtual.

Complete step by step solution:
Plane mirror is the only type of mirror in which a real object will produce an image that is virtual, erect and of the exact size of the object. Virtual objects produce real images; however, the focal length of a plane mirror is infinite and its optical power is equal to zero. A plane mirror will reflect the image of an object, when the object is in front of the mirror. The image formed by the plane mirror is always said to be a virtual image. And these virtual images have the same size and shape as the object is reflecting.


A virtual image is also said to be the copy of an object formed at the location from which the light rays appear. If the object is reflected, the right side of the object appears to be in the left side in the mirror.

Hence, the option (D) is the correct answer.

Note: When the object of real image falls on the plane mirror, it forms a virtual image and the virtual image is the reflection of the real image. In this question, the image of our face in the plane mirror, then it forms the virtual image of the real image.