When light rays from an object seem to meet at a point after reflection or refraction, that point is referred to as an image. In the definition, an object is anything that emits light beams. A picture is produced as light emanates from an item in various directions. Some of these light beams reach the mirror’s surface and reflect off it according to reflection principles.
We will be discussing the different image types: Real Image and Virtual Image.
How do we see images?
To see the picture of an object in a mirror, you must glance at the image, and while looking at the image, light enters your eye along that line of sight. The image location is thus positioned where observers are looking when viewing an object’s picture. Three people are sighting at the image of an item along three separate lines of sight in the diagram below. According to the law of reflection, each person perceives the picture because of light reflecting off the mirror.
Real Image
The collection of focus points formed by rays converging is an actual image. On the other hand, the collection of the focus points created by the extension of diverging is raying a virtual image.
In layman’s words, an authentic image is an image that is placed in the plane of meeting /convergence for the light rays emitted by an object.
The converging nature of beams of sunlight produces real pictures after they have been refracted or reflected by a mirror or lens. Real images are created on purpose when light rays interact with one another. In nature, real images are reversed, and this may be seen on screen.
How is it formed?
A real image can be formed by using converging lenses and concave mirrors, but only if the object is located far from the lens/mirror than the focus point, and the real image is inverted.
Once the object comes near the main focal point, the picture advances towards infinity, and as the object crosses the focal point, the image becomes upright and virtual.
Space is not like the distance between the object and the lenses.
A convex lens will produce a real image when an item is placed at or near a distance equal to or less than the given focal length. This is identical to what you would obtain with a concave mirror, except that the object must be placed at a distance equal to or less than the exact focal point; otherwise, you will receive a true picture.
Real Image Example
The most common example of a genuine image is the image on the movie screen, which is created by projecting an object onto the screen using a projector.
This mirrors the image on the screen, which depicts the thing to be viewed with human eyes.
The image is created on a detector on the back of a camera or the retina of the eyeball.
Virtual Image
Finding real rays that emerge from an optical instrument such as a mirror or lens to apparent ray divergences yields a virtual image. The dotted lines in the optical system schematic depict the standard fake ray.
An image that is fake can not be formed on a screen because the rays do not converge, but a real image can be produced on a screen since the rays converge on a real point. Everyone can see it because it is a real image projected onto a spread-out reflecting screen.
No light reaches the back of the mirror. Thus it’s usually said that rays appear to satisfy somewhere because it’s simply the viewer’s perspective.
This is frequently cited as the reason why virtual images are not presented on screen.
The images formed by plane mirrors are precise of the virtual type.
Another aspect worth mentioning is that virtual visuals are not fictitious.
As a result, they have a distinct shape and size and are frequently visible to the naked eye or any tool.
Virtual or fake Image Example
The best evidence of a virtual or fake picture is a reflection in a mirror.
A plane mirror creates a virtual or fake picture when it is put in the back of the mirror.
Even though the beams of light emanate from the back of the mirror, the light from the source exists solely in the mirror.
The picture is not amplified in the plane mirror. Thus the size of the item and image are the same, and it seems to be far back of the mirror as the object is before the mirror.
Key Differences Between Real And Virtual Image
Conclusion
So, based on this explanation, we can conclude that actual and virtual images are classified based on how they are generated, as one is formed on the screen and the other on the mirror itself.