Physics question regarding reflection. Based on what I got from the reading, the law of reflection states that the angle incoming is the same as the angle outgoing. So I'm assuming the answer is C where the reflection should be about the same as you, but I want to make sure if I'm reading into this correctly.
You look at your image in a regular, flat mirror. Which of the following is true?
A) Your image is on the other side of the mirror but appears 50% closer to the mirror's surface than you actually are.
B) Your image appears at the surface of the mirror.
C) Your image appears on the other side of the mirror's surface at a distance equal to your distance from the mirror's surface.
D) Your image appears on the same side of the mirror as you but 50% closer to the mirror than you are.
Based on the law of reflection, the correct answer to the question is C) Your image appears on the other side of the mirror's surface at a distance equal to your distance from the mirror's surface.
The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence (incoming angle) is equal to the angle of reflection (outgoing angle). However, this does not imply anything about the location or proximity of the reflected image.
In the case of a flat mirror, when you look at your image, the light reflecting off your body or any object in front of the mirror undergoes reflection. This reflected light reaches your eyes, creating the perception of an image.
The image that is formed in a flat mirror appears to be located behind the mirror, at the same distance from the mirror's surface as you are. Therefore, the correct answer is C) Your image appears on the other side of the mirror's surface at a distance equal to your distance from the mirror's surface.
To answer this question, we can apply the law of reflection. According to the law of reflection, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. In the case of a regular, flat mirror, the image formed is a virtual image, meaning it is formed by the apparent intersection of the reflected light rays and does not have a physical existence. This virtual image appears to be located behind the mirror, at the same distance as the object from the mirror.
In option A, it states that the image appears 50% closer to the mirror's surface than you actually are. This statement contradicts the law of reflection, which states that the distance to the image is equal to the distance to the object. Therefore, option A is not correct.
In option B, it states that the image appears at the surface of the mirror. This statement is incorrect because a virtual image is formed behind the mirror, not on its surface. Thus, option B is not correct.
In option C, it states that the image appears on the other side of the mirror's surface at a distance equal to your distance from the mirror's surface. This statement is consistent with the law of reflection and is correct. The image is formed behind the mirror, at the same distance as the object from the mirror. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.
In option D, it states that the image appears on the same side of the mirror as you but 50% closer to the mirror's surface than you are. This statement is not consistent with the law of reflection, which states that the image is formed on the opposite side of the mirror. Thus, option D is not correct.
So, to summarize, according to the law of reflection, the correct answer is C. The image appears on the other side of the mirror's surface at a distance equal to your distance from the mirror's surface.