2006-10-24 04:47:13 · 7 answers · asked by Rae Lynn K 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
You know, I was actually confused for a moment as I pondered this question. Then the answer hit me all at once, and I felt embarrassed.
Left and right are body-relative directions. There's no absolute left or right. There's YOUR left and right. There's MY left and right. And so on.
Up and down, though, are better defined. Although there's no absolute up or down, they are not dependent on which way you happen to be facing. If two people are near enough to see each other, they will (to a close approximation) share the same up and down, even if their lefts and rights don't agree with each other.
If that "other person" is your reflection in a mirror, you will share the same up and down, but your lefts and rights will be opposites.
2006-10-24 05:03:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As stated, this answer is easiest to understand: A mirror doesn't determine the reflection, and the reflection is only representative of the image. An image is up-right, hence the reflection is up-right. A mirror doesn't reverse the image, it reflects the image that is there to be reflected.
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2006-10-24 06:12:15 · answer #2 · answered by twowords 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the mirror doesnt determine the reflection, therefore the reflection is only representative of the image - the image is up-right therefore the reflection is up-right. the mirror doesnt reverse the image it simply reflects the image that is there
2006-10-24 05:07:15 · answer #3 · answered by hell oh 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The simple answer is that they don't. Look in a mirror and wave your right hand. On which side of the mirror is the hand that waved? The right side, of course. Mirrors do reverse in and out. Imagine holding an arrow in your hand. If you point it up, it will point up in the mirror. If you point it to the left, it will point to the left in the mirror. But if you point it toward the mirror, it will point right back at you. In and out are reversed.
2006-10-24 05:17:20 · answer #4 · answered by kizkat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is becuase your eyes are aligned left to right. If you were to align two mirrors at a right angle and stand in front of the opening, you'd see a true reflection becuase of the double refraction of left to right, which woudl correct the image you see.
2006-10-24 04:59:42 · answer #5 · answered by Marvinator 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey hey! you are unfortunately mistaken, if you stand in front of a plane mirror, your right side seems left and vice-versa(it is lateral inversion), but another plane mirror say a river and a bridge as an object here you will find that the top becomes bottom and vice-versa, it is vertical inversion.
2006-10-24 04:53:50 · answer #6 · answered by Pu 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because of the way light rays travel... and are reflected by mirrors
2006-10-24 04:50:50 · answer #7 · answered by statistics 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋