What happens to a ray parallel to the principal axis after reflection in a concave mirror, and how does it differ from its behavior in a convex mirror?

In a concave mirror, a ray parallel to the principal axis reflects and passes through the focal point. This is a converging behavior, resulting in the formation of a real image. Conversely, in a convex mirror, a ray parallel to the principal axis reflects as if it diverges from the focal point behind the mirror. This is a diverging behavior, leading to the formation of a virtual image. The contrasting behavior in concave and convex mirrors highlights their distinct optical properties—concave mirrors converge parallel rays, while convex mirrors diverge them, influencing the nature and location of the formed images.