Question

The image of a very distant car is located 12 cm behind s convex mirror. (a) What is the radius of curvature of the mirror? (b) Draw a ray diagram of a reduced scale showing this situation.

Answer 1

The image of a very distant car is located 12 cm behind a convex mirror.

What is the radius of curvature of the mirror?

1/do + 1/di = 1/f
Since the car is VERY DISTANT, do is a very large number, so 1/do is very small number.
As do approaches infinity, 1/do approaches 0

0 + 1/12 = 1/f

1/12 = 1/f

f = 12

The radius = 2 * the focal length = 2 * 12 = 24 cm



(b) draw a ray diagram to scale showing this situation.
go to this web site to see a ray diagram of convex mirror


When the object is very far from the convex mirror, the image is at the focal point of the mirror.