Why is your reflection inverted in a spoon?

Answer 1

What's not clear is whether the image is a virtual or real one.

First, consider a quick graphical, geometrical ray trace of a focusing
mirror (let's assume it's spherical so that the analysis is simple). I
usually do this by drawing the reflector and locating its center of
curvature and focal point (which is just half the distance from the middle
of the sphere to the center of curvature). To look at image formation, I
draw a large number "1" where the object should be -- in this case,
outside the focal point. I then draw two rays from the top of the "1" --
one parallel to the line from the center of the sphere throught the radius
of curvature and one through the radius of curvature. The first ray must,
after reflection, go through the focal point (because it acts as a
parallel ray from infinity, which are all focused at the focal distance
from any optic). The second must just come back upon itself, because it
is perpendicular to the reflector surface. The intersection of the two
rays is where the head of the image "1" is located. In this case, it's
outside the focal point. I then do the same thing from the bottom of
the "1", and then draw the orientation of the imaged "1"... It's clearly
inverted and reduced in size and more than 1 focal length away from the
mirror. This is clearly the real image you referred to in your question.

Where's the virtual image? It's not there! What you're observing is the
real image.

To understand this, consider what a virtual image is and how it's formed
by an example. A virtual image does NOT result from the convergence of
ray bundles at any real point in space... A virtual image is observed when
a situation arises rays from a single point appear to emerge from a point
in space, but which doesn't correspond to any real point. A good way to
see this is to turn the spoon around and look at the convex surface. You
see yourself right side up! If you do the ray trace using the method I
outline above, you find an apparent convergence of rays behind the mirror
which produces an upright image, which is just what you see in this case.
But, since the spoon is silver, it's pretty apparent that there can't be
any rays actually focused behind it -- so it's a virtual image.

An interesting thing occurs, however, when you flip the spoon back to the
original configuration and move the object inside the focal point. The
image you see is no longer inverted! And it's big! If you do the ray
trace you find that the convergence of the rays which form the image is
now in back of the spoon, so that the image has shifted to an upright
virtual image which is magnified. Try it with one of your spoons -- it
really works!

And even more interestingly, if the object were placed exactly at the
focal point, all hell would break loose and what you would see would be a
giant blob filling the spoon that looks like nothing but a big source of
light. In this case, there is neither a virtual nor a real image formed
and the mirror/spoon is acting like a collimator -- turning all rays from
the object into parallel light streaming to infinity (roughly).

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

the spoon has two surfaces...
1 concave when the surface forms like a cave.... this reflective surface always forms images that are reduced and inverted....
2 convex the back part of the spoon... always forms images that are reduced and erect...

this is discussed in geometric optics... this can be solved on paper with drawings... ray tracing....with optical axis, reflecting surface and focal distance...and using 4 principal rays only...

Answer 3

because the spoon is acting like a concave mirror
- when you see an image of an object farther than the mirror's focal distance you see an inverted and real image
- if the object is closer that mirror's focal point the image will be an right, virtual and bigger than object (the focal point of a spoon is small)

Answer 4

The spoon is a convex mirror (looking from outside) or a concave mirror looking from inside. When you an object in a concave mirror, the image is inverted

see the construction of an image in a mirror with The link

Answer 5

Because a spoon work as a convex mirror

Please, review the formation cases in mirrors

Answer 6

I have enough trouble finding a clean spoon let alone worry about what my reflection looks like.

Answer 7

because of the curved shape of the spoon, it bends the light... look at the back of the spoon, and you'll be right side up again...

Answer 8

it isn't, necessarily

it has to do with your relationship to the focal point ( i imagine)

if you get closer, it should uninvert.

(while it is doing so, it will become magnified)