A mirror with a surface that curves outward is a

A mirror with a surface that curves outward is a

• A. Convex Mirror
• B. Concave Mirror
• C. Focal Point
• D. Optical Axis

Answer: (A)

Outward-curving reflecting surface describes a convex mirror. When the surface bulges toward you, incoming light rays reflect so they spread apart (diverge). Because the reflected rays don’t meet, the image is virtual, upright, and smaller, appearing to be behind the mirror. A concave mirror, by contrast, curves inward like a cave and can produce real or enlarged images depending on how far the object is. The focal point is a specific location along the optical axis where rays would converge (for a concave mirror) or appear to originate from behind the mirror (for a convex mirror); the optical axis is simply the straight line through the mirror’s center of curvature and focal point.

Outward-curving reflecting surface describes a convex mirror. When the surface bulges toward you, incoming light rays reflect so they spread apart (diverge). Because the reflected rays don’t meet, the image is virtual, upright, and smaller, appearing to be behind the mirror. A concave mirror, by contrast, curves inward like a cave and can produce real or enlarged images depending on how far the object is. The focal point is a specific location along the optical axis where rays would converge (for a concave mirror) or appear to originate from behind the mirror (for a convex mirror); the optical axis is simply the straight line through the mirror’s center of curvature and focal point.