Spherical mirror: A spherical mirror is a mirror whose reflecting surface is a part of a hollow sphere.
In Fig, S is a hollow glass sphere being cut by a plane AB. The section LPM of this spherical shell cut by the plane, forms a part of the sphere and is known as spherical surface. If either side of this spherical surface is silvered, we get a spherical mirror.
Spherical mirrors are of two types:
(i) Concave mirror: A spherical mirror is concave if it is silvered on the outer bulged surface and reflects light from the inner hollow surface [Fig.(b)].
Fig.(a) A spherical shell cut by a plane surface, (b) concave mirror, and (c) convex mirror.
(ii) Convex mirror: A spherical mirror is convex if it is silvered on the inner hollow surface and reflects light from the outer bulged surface.[Fig. (c)]
Define the following terms in connection with reflection of light:
Incident ray, reflected ray, point of incidence, normal, angle of incidence and angle of reflection.
