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Chapter 31: Problem 1

How can you see a virtual image, when it's not "really there"?

Short Answer

Expert verified
We perceive virtual images looking 'real' due to the way our eyes trace light. Light rays appearing from a virtual image diverge as if coming from the image but actually originate from the mirror or lens. Our eyes trace these rays back and perceive it as if the image was 'really' at that location. This is the reason we 'see' virtual images.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Real Vs Virtual Images

In optics, images are categorized into real and virtual images. A real image is formed when light rays converge at a point and can be projected onto a screen whereas a virtual image is formed by the apparent diverging of light rays and cannot be projected. Though virtual images aren't physically present at the location they appear, they can surely be visualized.
02

Understanding Light Perception by Eyes

To perceive any object, our eyes need to receive light from that object. In case of a virtual image, our eyes trace back the diverging rays of light (which appear to be converging at some point behind the mirror or lens) to their apparent point of origin. Our brains then interpret this as if the light is coming straight from the object (virtual image), making us 'see' the image.
03

Role of Mirrors or Lenses

Mirrors or lenses manipulate the path of light rays. For a flat mirror, it appears as if the light is coming from behind the mirror, creating a virtual image. Similarly, lenses can diverge light in a way that it seems to come from a different spot than it actually does, forming virtual images.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A compound microscope has objective and eyepiece focal lengths of \(6.1 \mathrm{mm}\) and \(1.7 \mathrm{cm},\) respectively. If the lenses are \(8.3 \mathrm{cm}\) apart, what is the instrument's magnification?

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