Question

What is an image of an object ?

Answer 1

Hint: The collection of focus points, when light rays appear to converge or diverge to or from a point after reflection or refraction is known as the image of the object.Images formed are also of two types, namely real image and virtual image.

Complete answer:
When our eyes intercept some of the light coming from an object and converge them onto the retina, our brain perceives an image of the object. You see and recognize the object in the direction from which light is coming and at a certain distance from you.

The two types of images namely are:
Real Image: A real image actually exists where it is perceived or seen. It can be formed on a screen. In a movie theater, you see a real image on the screen. A real image is formed when rays converge at a point. The point of convergence is the location of the image.

Virtual Image: A virtual image does not actually exist at the point where it is perceived or seen. In other words, if we place a screen at the position of a virtual image, no image is formed on the screen. When we see an object in a plane mirror, we are looking at a virtual image formed behind the mirror. If we place a screen behind the mirror, no image is obtained on the screen. A virtual image is a point from which a beam diverges or a beam appears to intersect at that point.

Note: It must be noted here that it is not a necessary condition that an object is to be there in order to get an image. When a converging beam of light is incident on a plane mirror, the beam converges at a point in front of the mirror. Here, no object exists but a real image is formed. We consider the point of convergence before reflection as an object, known as a virtual object.