The radius of curvature (R) of a spherical mirror is the distance from the pole to the center of curvature. It is represented by the letter R.
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The radius of curvature (R) of a spherical mirror is the distance between its reflective surface and the center of curvature. In mathematical terms, the radius of curvature is twice the focal length (f). The relationship is expressed as R=2f.
For concave mirrors, where light converges, the radius of curvature is considered positive, and the center of curvature is located in the direction of the reflected light. For convex mirrors, where light diverges, the radius of curvature is negative, and the center of curvature is in the direction opposite to the reflected light.
The radius of curvature is a crucial parameter in the characterization of spherical mirrors, providing valuable information about their optical properties and facilitating the analysis of image formation in various optical systems.
The radius of curvature of a spherical mirror is the distance from the mirror’s reflecting surface to its center of curvature. It is represented by the symbol “R.” In mathematical terms, the radius of curvature is twice the focal length of the mirror (R = 2f). For a concave mirror, the radius is considered positive because the center of curvature lies in the direction opposite to the reflective surface. In the case of a convex mirror, the radius is considered negative since the center of curvature is in the direction of the reflective surface. The radius of curvature is a key parameter in mirror optics.