When locating the image of an object placed beyond C in a concave mirror, a student uses only two specific ra…

Question

When locating the image of an object placed beyond C in a concave mirror, a student uses only two specific rays and finds their point of convergence. A classmate argues that using a third ray from the same object point would give a different image point, making the diagram inconsistent. How would you refute this argument? What fundamental principle of optics underpins your response?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer The classmate's argument is incorrect. According to the laws of reflection, all rays originating from the same object point, after reflection from the mirror, **converge at the same image point**. The textbook states that "the intersection of at least two reflected rays gives the position of the image." Any third ray will pass through the **same point of convergence** — it will not give a different image point. The fundamental principle underlying this is the **law of reflection** (angle of incidence = angle of reflection), which ensures all reflected rays from one object point meet consistently at one image point. *Source: Chapter 9, Section 9.2.2 — Representation of Images Formed by Spherical Mirrors Using Ray Diagrams* --- ## Explanation - Examiners expect you to directly refute the classmate using the textbook's statement that **any two reflected rays** give the image position, and a third ray will confirm — not contradict — that same point. - The key phrase to inc…

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