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Chapter 9: Problem 39

Contrast real images with virtual images in as many ways as you can.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Real images are formed by converging light rays, can be projected onto a screen, can be magnified or demagnified, are often inverted, and are generally considered more realistic. On the other hand, virtual images are formed by diverging light rays, cannot be projected onto a screen, are usually magnified, appear upright, and can only be perceived by one viewer at a time by looking through the optical system that forms them.

Step by step solution

01

Define Real Images and Virtual Images

A real image is an image that is formed when light rays originating from a source converge at a point in space. They can be projected onto a screen and captured because the light rays physically pass through the image location. On the other hand, a virtual image is an image formed when the light rays appear to be diverging from a point in space, but they do not physically intersect at the image location. Virtual images cannot be projected onto a screen or captured.
02

Formation of Real Images and Virtual Images

Real images are formed by optical systems, such as lenses and mirrors, when the light rays converge as they pass through or reflect off the optical element. Common examples of real images include those formed by a converging lens or a concave mirror. Virtual images, on the other hand, are formed when the light rays appear to diverge from a point in space, such as in the case of a diverging lens or a convex mirror.
03

Inversion of Real Images and Virtual Images

Real images are typically inverted (upside down) relative to the object that they are formed by, while virtual images are usually upright (right side up). The degree of inversion depends on the optical system used and the position of the object relative to that system.
04

Magnification of Real Images and Virtual Images

Real images can be magnified (larger than the object) or demagnified (smaller than the object), depending on the properties of the optical system and the position of the object relative to it. Virtual images are almost always magnified, providing a larger view of the object. Optical instruments such as magnifying glasses and microscopes often make use of virtual images to provide an enlarged view of an object.
05

Realism and Perception of Real Images and Virtual Images

Real images are often perceived as more realistic because they can be captured on a screen and can be seen by multiple observers at the same time. Virtual images, on the other hand, can only be seen by looking through the optical system that forms them and typically cannot be captured on a screen, making them perceptible to only one viewer at a time.
06

Comparison Summary

In summary, real images are formed by converging light rays, can be projected onto a screen, can be magnified or demagnified, are often inverted, and are generally considered more realistic than virtual images. Virtual images, in contrast, are formed by diverging light rays, cannot be projected onto a screen, are usually magnified, appear upright, and can only be perceived by one viewer at a time by looking through the optical system that forms them.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

If you hold up your right hand in front of a plane mirror, what do you see? (Be cautious now. Describe the image carefully.) If you're having trouble, place a tube of toothpaste or other object with writing on it in front of the mirror. Now what can you say? (The process you're witnessing is called inversion and is one of the common characteristics of plane mirrors.)

A convex lens forms a clear, focused image of some small, fixed object on a screen. If the screen is moved closer to the lens, will the lens have to be (a) moved closer to the object, (b) moved farther from the object, or (c) left at the same location to produce a clear image on the screen at its new location? Explain your answer.

Suppose an explosion at a glass factory caused it to "rain" tiny spheres made of glass. Would the resulting rainbow be different from the normal one? If so, how might it be different and why?

The difference in speed between red light and violet light in glass is smaller than the difference in speed between the same two colors in a certain type of plastic. For which material, glass or plastic, would the angular spread of the two colored rays after entering the material obliquely from air be the largest? Why?

Two light waves that have wavelengths of 700 and \(400 \mathrm{~nm}\) enter block of glass (from air) with the same angle of incidence. Which has the larger angle of refraction? Why? Would the answer be different if the light waves were going from glass into air:
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