Which type of mirror curves outward and diverges light?

Which type of mirror curves outward and diverges light?

• A. Plane mirror
• B. Convex mirror
• C. Concave mirror
• D. Concave lens

Answer: (B)

When a surface bulges outward, like a convex mirror, it makes reflected light rays spread apart. That divergence means the light doesn’t meet at a real point in front of the surface; instead, the extensions of the rays appear to come from a point behind the mirror, giving a virtual, upright, and smaller image. The plane mirror has no curvature, so it doesn’t cause the rays to diverge or converge in the same way. A concave mirror curves inward and can converge rays to a focal point in front of the mirror, producing real or larger images depending on distance. A concave lens isn’t a mirror at all, but a lens that diverges light.

When a surface bulges outward, like a convex mirror, it makes reflected light rays spread apart. That divergence means the light doesn’t meet at a real point in front of the surface; instead, the extensions of the rays appear to come from a point behind the mirror, giving a virtual, upright, and smaller image. The plane mirror has no curvature, so it doesn’t cause the rays to diverge or converge in the same way. A concave mirror curves inward and can converge rays to a focal point in front of the mirror, producing real or larger images depending on distance. A concave lens isn’t a mirror at all, but a lens that diverges light.