Uses of Concave Mirror

The definition of a concave mirror says that when a spherical mirror surface is painted outwards and its inner surface is reflecting, it is called a Concave Mirror.

So, what is the use of a concave mirror? Well, various objects that we see around like vehicle headlights, Shaving mirrors, Solar furnaces, Searchlights, torches, flashlights, and so on. All these objects have a concave mirror. 

Now, again a question arises: why do we use only a concave mirror for the objects mentioned above? Though we have a plane mirror, convex mirror, and many more varieties of mirror, why only concave?

This page will help you to understand what a concave mirror is, why we use it, its real-life applications along with its clear definition.

Definition of a Concave Mirror

A concave mirror is a spherical mirror, which has a reflecting surface, dented inwards. Concave mirrors reflect and focus incoming light rays (parallel) at a point, called the focus point. Depending on the distance of an object from the reflecting surface, different types of images are formed. Concave mirrors are also called converging mirrors since light rays converge after reflection at concave mirrors.

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What are Concave Mirrors?

Mirrors whose reflecting surfaces are curved and can be imagined as part of a sphere, are called spherical mirrors. However, when the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror is curved outwards, it is called a convex mirror. Whereas, a mirror with a reflecting surface, which  is bent inwards,is called a concave mirror. Concave mirrors reflect and focus incoming light rays (parallel) at a point, called the focus point. Depending on the distance of an object from the reflecting surface, different types of images are formed. Both kinds of mirrors are used in science and technology. These are used in daily life also. Concave mirrors are used as headlights, torches, head mirrors, solar furnaces, microscopes, telescopes, etc.

Why do we use Concave Mirrors:  List of Examples 

From the above text, we get to learn the following list of objects that have a concave mirrors:

• Vehicle headlights

• Shaving mirrors

• Solar furnaces

• Searchlights

• Torches

• Flashlights

• Dental Mirror

• Microscopes

• Telescopes

• Makeup mirrors

The reason we use concave mirrors is as follows:

These mirrors give a magnified reflection of the object that means the image in the mirror is larger, brighter, and, for the dentist, easier to see. Also, without these mirrors, we may miss out on various treatable problems, such as RCT (root-canal-therapy), as these mirrors give a magnified view of the mouth that helps the dentist perform various teeth operations easily.

Real-Life Applications of a Concave Mirror

Below, you will find various applications of concave mirrors:

1. Reflecting Telescopes

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Concave mirrors are widely used in different reflecting telescopes in observational astronomy. The concave mirror in a reflecting mirror collects the light from distant celestial objects. Since the light sources are very far away, the incoming light rays are effectively parallel. The concave mirror focuses the light rays on a flat mirror, kept at its focal distance. Due to the convergence, the intensity of the light (incident on the flat mirror) increases. Then the reflection of the flat mirror is seen through the eyepiece. 

2. Microscope

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A concave mirror is used in the base of a microscope as a condenser. The light from an external source is shone on the specimen, after being passed through the mirror. The concave mirror concentrates the light on the specimen only to ensure that the surroundings are relatively dark. The orientation of the mirror can be changed by rotating it. The specimen is seen through an eyepiece. 

3. Headlights

The bulb of a headlight or a torch is placed at the focus of a concave mirror. The light rays, coming from the bulb, emerge out as parallel rays after getting reflected at the concave mirror. The reflected rays can cover large distances with high intensity.

4. Optical instruments in Medicine: Dental Mirror

Concave mirrors are used in instruments like ophthalmoscope (used to test the condition of eyes), otoscope (used to observe into ears), and many more. Concave mirrors are also used in simple diagnostic devices called head mirrors, which are used by ENT specialists. The setup is used for proper illumination without shadows in the examining areas.

5. Optical cavity

Concave mirrors are used in optical cavities, which play an important role in laser physics. The light rays reflect multiple times inside a cavity and form standing waves. 

6. Solar Furnace

Sunlight is focused on using very large concave mirrors in solar furnaces. The concave mirror gathers a huge amount of sunlight and concentrates it at the focal point. This concentrated energy is used for heating, cooking, generating electricity, or melting metals.

7. Optical landing System

The mirror landing aid uses concave mirrors.

Facts and Information on Concave Mirrors

Below is the set of facts on concave mirrors in day-to-day applications:

• Satellite dishes and visual bomb detectors use concave mirrors. 

• Concave mirrors are used as reflectors in searchlights. These mirrors help to shine intense collimated beams such that large distances can be observed clearly.

• Concave mirrors are used to collimate beams. In experimental physics, the mirror used in a moving coil galvanometer is concave.

• Although concave mirrors can focus light from distant sources, the edges of the mirror concentrate the beams at a point that is slightly away from the original focal point. This is called spherical aberration. Reflecting telescopes do face this problem. Due to this aberration, the image of an object becomes slightly distorted.

• Depending on the distance of the object, a concave mirror can form a wide variety of images. Some can be enlarged while others can be shrunk in size. This makes any device, using concave mirrors, very sensitive.

Properties of Concave Mirrors

Below is the list of properties on concave mirrors:

The properties of concave mirrors are given below:

• They can produce both real and virtual images.

• They become upright when they produce a virtual image.

• The image is inverted if it produces a real image.

• The image of the object can be reduced, enlarged, or of the same size as the object based on the distance between the object and the mirror.