The paper starts to burn because the concave mirror converges sunlight at a sharp, bright spot on the paper, essentially creating an image of the Sun. This focused sunlight generates enough heat to ignite the paper.
Why does the paper begin to burn when exposed to sunlight through the concave mirror?
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The paper begins to burn when exposed to sunlight through a concave mirror due to the concentration of sunlight at a specific point, known as the focal point or focus. The concave mirror converges parallel rays of sunlight to this focal point, creating an intensely concentrated spot of light. This concentrated light results in a significant increase in temperature at the focal point.
When the intensity of sunlight at the focal point is high enough, it can cause the paper at that spot to heat up significantly. If the temperature surpasses the ignition point of the paper, the paper starts to burn. Essentially, the concentrated sunlight acts as a source of heat, and when this heat becomes intense, it can ignite combustible materials like paper.