Question

Write down the letters of the word POLEX as seen in a plane mirror held perpendicular to the plane of paper.

Answer 1

Hint : Reflection produces laterally inverted images. Lateral inversion only identified in asymmetric bodies. So the answer will be the lateral inversion of all the letters of the word POLEX.

Complete step by step answer
When the light rays falling from the object on the surface bounces back are known as reflected rays and this phenomenon is known as a reflection of light. Reflection of light refers to the change in the direction of light upon striking a surface. This change in direction occurs whenever light hits a surface, irrespective of the texture or the nature of the surface. The difference here is that in a reflective surface such as the shiny spoons, plates and mirrors, the reflection is uniform throughout the surface leading to a crisp reflection. Mirrors are what we use most often to see our reflection.
The characteristics of an image formed by a plane mirror include the following.
-The image obtained by the plane mirror is always erect and virtual.
-The image size and the size of the object, both are equal.
-The distance between the image obtained is the distance at which the object is placed.
-Laterally inverted images are obtained
Given in the question, the letters of the word POLEX as seen in a plane mirror held perpendicular to the plane of paper.
The phenomenon where your left appears as the right and vice versa in a mirror is referred to as Lateral Inversion.
The image will be laterally inverted and will be at the same distance on the other side of the mirror as it is placed in front of it.

Lateral inversion will only be observed for asymmetric shapes. In the word, POLEX, the letters O and X are symmetric letters. This implies the laterally inverted image of both O and X appear the same as their original image. On the other hand, the letters P, L and E do not possess a plane of symmetry and hence are known as asymmetric. The lateral inversion of such letters is prominent and easily identified, as can be seen from the figure above.
Thus, when a plane mirror is held perpendicular to the plane of paper on which a word, ‘POLEX’ is written, will produce a laterally inverted image.

Note
The lateral inversion we experience is not caused by the mirror but by our perception of the mirror image.This means that contrary to how we see mirror images, a mirror does not reverse left and right. Instead, it reverses the front and back. Where a person’s back should be their face is and thus, his brain assumes this to be another person standing in front of them and assumes the left and right reversal i.e. the lateral inversion.