In a convex mirror, rays parallel to the principal axis are reflected in such a way that they appear to diverge from a point on the principal axis. This point is known as the principal focus of the convex mirror, also represented by the letter F.
How are rays parallel to the principal axis reflected by a convex mirror, and what is the point from which the reflected rays appear to come?
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Rays parallel to the principal axis are reflected by a convex mirror divergently. When parallel rays strike the convex mirror, they reflect outward, appearing to diverge from a point behind the mirror. This point is known as the virtual focus or the focal point for a convex mirror. Unlike concave mirrors, convex mirrors do not have a real focal point; instead, the virtual focus is the point where extended divergent rays appear to converge. The virtual focus for a convex mirror is crucial in understanding image formation and determining the mirror’s optical properties.