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Chapter 31: Problem 1

How can you see a virtual image, when it's not "really there"?

Short Answer

Expert verified
We can see a virtual image because our eyes perceive the diverging light rays as converging. This makes it seem as if the light is coming 'from' the virtual image, which is actually not physically present. A virtual image is just an apparent point of intersection of the light rays, formed by the refraction of light in optical devices, such as lenses or mirrors.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Virtual Images

A virtual image is the image formed by the apparent intersection of the light rays from an object, which would converge if extended back on the same side as the object. They are formed by the refraction of light in devices such as lenses and mirrors. The image isn't 'really there' because you can't project it on a screen as it can be with a real image. The light rays are diverging, making the image appear to be originated from a specific location if traced back.
02

How Light Rays Work

The light rays from the object diverge after passing through or reflecting off the optical device (lens or mirror), but our eyes see them as converging. The image appears upright and located behind the device.
03

Perception by Our Eyes

Our eyes perceive the diverging light rays as if they are converging from the position where the virtual image appears. Hence, our eyes interpret the light as if it's coming 'from' the image rather than the actual object. This gives the illusion of a virtual image being 'there' even if it's not physically present.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

By holding a magnifying glass \(25 \mathrm{cm}\) from your desk lamp, you can focus an image of the lamp's bulb on a wall \(1.6 \mathrm{m}\) from the lamp. What's the focal length of your magnifying glass?

A contact lens is in the shape of a convex meniscus (see Fig. 31.25 ). The inner surface is curved to fit the eye, with curvature radius \(7.80 \mathrm{mm}\). The lens is made from plastic with refractive index \(n=1.56 .\) If it has a \(44.4-\mathrm{cm}\) focal length, what's the curvature radius of its outer surface?

The cornea of the human eye has refractive index \(1.38,\) while the eye's lens has a graduated index in the range 1.38 to \(1.40 ;\) use 1.39 for this problem. For the aqueous humor between cornea and lens, \(n=1.34 .\) Find the angle through which light is deflected at the first surface of (a) the cornea and (b) the lens, if it's incident at \(20^{\circ}\) to the normal at each surface. Your result shows that the cornea is the dominant refractive element in the eye.

A shoe store uses small floor-level mirrors to let customers view prospective purchases. At what angle should such a mirror be inclined so that a person standing \(50 \mathrm{cm}\) from the mirror with eyes \(140 \mathrm{cm}\) off the floor can see her feet?

An object and its lens-produced real image are \(2.4 \mathrm{m}\) apart. If the lens has \(55-\mathrm{cm}\) focal length, what are the possible values for the object distance and magnification?
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