Ray Optics: Reflection and Mirrors

Reflection and Mirrors: Audio Guided Solution

Problem 13:

In a physics lab, Anna Litical and Noah Formula position a small night light bulb at several locations along the principal axis of a concave mirror. Using a note card, they locate the image of the light bulb. The mirror has a focal length of 32.0 cm. What image distances would you expect Anna and Noah to observe when the object is located at distances of …
a. … 85.3 cm from the mirror?
b. … 64.0 cm from the mirror?
c. … 48.1 cm from the mirror?

Audio Guided Solution

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Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., do = 24.2 cm; di= 16.8 cm; f = ???.
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Reflection and Mirrors at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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