ANALYSIS

The group performed the experiment in a long time, however, the group was able to perform the
experiment with ease and accuracy. The reason why the group spent a long time in performing the
experiment because there were different setups for each parts of the experiment, and it will take a
long time to change the arrangement or the setup of the materials. Aside from this, no other problems
were encountered. The concept that is related to this experiment is the nature of light and reflection.
Table 1. Laws of Reflection
TRIAL ANGLE OF INCIDENCE ANGLE OF REFLECTION
1 42° 42°
2 25° 25°
3 36° 36°
4 17° 17°
The table above provides proof to the laws of reflection. The said law states that the angles of
incidence and reflection would be always equal to each other as shown in the Table 1.
Table 2. Number of Images
TRIAL Angle Between Plane Mirrors, θ Number of Images Formed, I
Observed Calculated
1 10° 24 35
2 15° 18 23
3 30° 10 11
4 45° 6 7
5 60° 6 5
6 75° 4 3.8
7 90° 4 3
8 120° 2 2

Table 2 shows the number of images formed between plane mirrors in different given angles. It can
360°
be observed that the calculated number of images using the formula 𝐼 = −1 is always the same
𝜃

with the observed number of images.

13
12
11

Actual Radius of Curvature

Experimental Radius of Curvature of Convex Mirror
Experimental Radius of Curvature of Concave Mirror

Graph 1. The Radius of Convex and Concave Mirrors

The graph above shows the difference experimental measurement of the radius of the curvatures of
the convex and concave mirrors to the actual radius. Which shows that the experimental are close to
the actual value of the radius of curvature of the mirrors.
Table 3. Determination of Focal Length and Radius
Type of Mirror Convex Concave
Focal length, f 3.7 cm 6.2 cm
Experimental radius of curvature, Rexperimental 11.4 cm 12.4 cm
Actual radius of curvature, Ractual 10.45 cm 13.5 cm
Percentage of Error 9.09 % 8.15 %

Table 4. Object Distance Greater than Image Distance

TRIAL Object Distance Image Distance Computed Focal Length
1 26 cm 40 cm 15.75 cm
2 24 cm 45 cm 15.65 cm
3 23 cm 50 cm 15.75m
4 23 cm 55 cm 16.21 cm
Average Focal length 15.84 cm
Actual Focal Length 16 cm
Percentage of Difference 1.00 %

Table 5. Image Distance Greater than Object Distance

TRIAL Object Distance Image Distance Computed Focal Length
1 25 cm 46 cm 16.21 cm
2 23.5 cm 49 cm 15.87 cm
3 23 cm 53 cm 16.05 cm
4 22 cm 58 cm 15.94 cm
Average Focal length 16.0175 cm
Actual Focal Length 16 cm
Percentage of Difference 0.6 %

Table 6. Object Distance Equal to the Image Distance

TRIAL Object Distance Image Distance Computed Focal Length
1 31 cm 31 cm 15.50 cm
2 32 cm 32 cm 16 cm
3 32.5 cm 32.5 cm 16.26 cm
4 33 cm 33 cm 10.50 cm
Average Focal length 16.065 cm
Actual Focal Length 16 cm
Percentage of Difference 0.41 %

Tables 3, 4, and 5 shows the computed focal length with different settings and compares them to the
actual focal length of the concave mirror used which is 18 cm. For Table 1 the object distance is
greater that the image distance, for Table 2, the image distance is greater than the object distance
and for Table 3, the distances are equal. It can be observed that the average focal length for each of
the settings is almost equal to the actual value of the focal length.
CONCLUSION

There are three objectives that were discussed during the experiment first is to determine the number
of images formed between two plane mirrors, second is to describe and tell apart the images formed
from plane mirrors to spherical mirror, and lastly, is to determine and compute for the focal length of
the spherical mirror. The principles that were used in this experiment is the nature of light and the
reflection of light.

It can be stated that reflection is the bouncing of light waves in barriers like mirrors, as discussed in
the experiment the laws of reflection. In the first part of the experiment, it can be concluded that the a
n g l e s of incidence and r e f l e c t i o n would be always equal to each, proving the law of reflection.
The second part of the experiment also proves this statement as the observed value is almost always
equal to the computed value of the number of images formed between two p l a n e mirrors, which
means the number of images depend on the a n g l e between them. The other principle of the laws
of reflection is that at the same plane lies the incident and r e f le c t e d rays as well as their n o r m a
l line was proven in the remaining parts of the experiment. This statement can be properly observed
in Part 3 of the experiment where the ray d i a g r a m for the concave and convex mirrors was drawn,
in which it can be concluded that for concave mirrors the focus is positive which means it is in front of
the mirror and for convex mirrors the focus is behind the mirror or negative in sign. Part 3 also shows
the concept of the spherical mirrors whereas the radius is the twice of the focal length of the spherical
mirror. The concept of the focus of spherical mirrors was further proven by parts 4, 5, and 6 where
there were different setups however regardless if the object distance is greater than or less than or
equal to the image distance and the size of the reflected image differs for each setting the f o c a l
length would still be the same. Thus it can be concluded that if the value of magnification is greater
than 1, then that means the object is larger in the reflected image and if the object’s magnification is
less than the value of 1 then the object is smaller and if the magnification is equal to one this means
they are equal in size.

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APPLICATION

The concave mirrors are commonly used as shaving mirrors because when we see our face in the
concave mirror then an enlarged and erect image is formed which helps in smooth shaving. A
concave mirror is used as the reflector in search lights, head lights of motor vehicles, solar cookers,
torches and in table lamps. A concave mirror is also used as head mirror by doctors to examine the
retina of the eye, ear and throat.

A convex mirror is used in automobiles such as scooters, trucks and buses as rear view mirror to see
the traffic behind the vehicle. The reason for it is that a convex mirror has a much wider field of view
and the images formed are smaller and erect.