Which statement best describes the position of the image of an object viewed in a plane mirror?
A. The image is a different distance from the mirror but on the same side of the mirror as the original object.
B. The image is a different distance from the mirror and on the other side of the mirror as the original object.
C. The image is the same distance from the mirror but on the other side of the mirror as the original object. ***
D. The image is the same distance from the mirror and on the same side of the mirror as the original object.
Is this correct, Walter White?
No, I am not Walter White. However, the correct statement that best describes the position of the image of an object viewed in a plane mirror is option C: "The image is the same distance from the mirror but on the other side of the mirror as the original object."
To understand why this is the case, we need to consider the behavior of light when it interacts with a plane mirror. When light hits a mirror, it undergoes the process of reflection, bouncing off the mirror's surface. The image we see in a mirror is formed by the light rays that have reflected off the mirror and entered our eyes.
In the case of a plane mirror, the reflection of the light rays follows a specific rule known as the law of reflection. According to this law, the incident ray (the incoming light ray) and the reflected ray (the outgoing light ray) form equal angles with the normal (a line perpendicular to the mirror's surface) at the point of incidence.
Now, to determine the position of the image, we consider the behavior of the light rays. When an object is placed in front of a plane mirror, light rays from the object strike the mirror and reflect off it. The reflected rays then reach our eyes, creating the perception of an image.
The important point to note here is that the reflected rays appear to come from behind the mirror. When we trace back the path of the reflected rays, they intersect at a point that is equidistant from the mirror as the object is, but on the opposite side of the mirror. This is why the image in a plane mirror appears to be the same distance from the mirror but on the other side.
In summary, the correct statement is that the image formed by a plane mirror is the same distance from the mirror but on the other side of the mirror as the original object.