At what speed do you approach your image if you walk towards a plane mirror at 1 m/s ? I am not looking for this to be answered for me. I am just looking for how to figure it out. Is there a specific formula to use?
To figure out at what speed you approach your image when walking towards a plane mirror at a given speed, you can use the concept of relative velocity.
Relative velocity is the velocity of one object as observed from another object's frame of reference. In this case, we need to consider the velocity of your image as observed from your frame of reference.
Here's how you can approach this problem:
1. Consider yourself as object A and your image as object B.
2. The velocity of object A (you) is given as 1 m/s.
3. The velocity of object B (your image) relative to object A can be determined using the formula:
Relative velocity = Velocity of B - Velocity of A
In this case, the velocity of B (your image) relative to A (you) is the speed at which your image seems to approach you.
4. Since the mirror reflects light, the velocity of your image is the same as your velocity (object A). Therefore, substitute the given values into the formula:
Relative velocity = 1 m/s - 1 m/s = 0 m/s
The relative velocity is 0 m/s, which means your image appears to be moving towards you at a speed of 0 m/s. This implies that your image's position remains unchanged as you walk towards the mirror.
In summary, when you walk towards a plane mirror at 1 m/s, your image appears to be at rest relative to you.