Two mirrors are placed opposite to each other with an object in between Mirror A reflects its reflection into mirror B, an mirror B likewise, and so on. Why do the reflections get smaller and smaller and seem to disappear into infinity (or do they) and not cover the surface of the mirrors? And why do mirrors reverse our appearence?
2007-09-21 07:45:23 · 6 answers · asked by donjamste 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
If you look into one mirror and imagine that you are looking through the mirror into a reflected world, your reflected self will be exactly the distance from the mirror as you are, but on the other side. Now, if you take a mirror image of this phenomenon, both you and the image will be reflected.
However, the original reflected image will be twice the distance from the second mirror as you are, and so another plane is reflected. This added phenomenon happens at an infinite rate since there are two mirrors and, because there is an extra plane of reflection being added on each side to compensate for the first plane of reflection, the images go on forever. They keep getting smaller because they appear to be further and further away from the original object.
I love the fact that if this object is you, you cannot see the 'end' because your head is always in the way!
Mirrors reverse our appearance for the same reason as when you look at a person, their left side is perceived as your right side - when it is a mirror, your left side IS the image's left side, and so the image must be a reversal. Hope that makes sense... =oD
2007-09-21 08:12:20 · answer #1 · answered by Fireʍɐʇǝɹ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Due to the repeated reflection between the two mirrors, the object is in fact becoming further away with each reflection by the same amount as the distance between those mirrors. The further away an object is the smaller it appears.
2007-09-21 14:53:25 · answer #2 · answered by philhoonoseitall 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take two rulers.
Stick one on the mirror
Line up the second ruler with the first one on the mirror .. then gradually move the second ruler away from the mirror whilst try to keep the two ends lined up ...
Do you notice how the reflection of the second ruler gets smaller the further you move it away ??
Ref reversal .. well look in the mirror .. where is your head ? (clue, 'at the top'),
Wave your right hand .. which hand waves in the mirror ? (clue its NOT the one on the left) ...
In fact, 'things stay where they are' .. what's changed is your 'point of view' .. when standing in front of a mirror you are seeing what some-one standing behind you and 'looking through you' would see.
(This can be demonstrated by holding a sheet of paper with you name written on it up to a light so you can 'look through it' from the back.. what you see is the same 'mirror writing' you would see in a mirror :-) )
2007-09-21 15:29:40 · answer #3 · answered by Steve B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because of the thickness of the glass and distance [ things look smaller the further away they are] the reflective surfaces are a small distance apart. In therory if the surfaces could be placed with no distance between them the image would go on to infinity without getting smaller.
2007-09-21 14:51:41 · answer #4 · answered by matty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no they just get further away from each other
2007-09-21 18:31:08 · answer #5 · answered by El Diablo King Of Kings 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hmmmmm..... i have not a scooby. ta for giving me a headache :) x x
2007-09-21 14:52:58 · answer #6 · answered by nicnic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋