Question

The image formed by a plane mirror is always:

• A. Real and erect
• B. Virtual and erect
• C. Real and inverted
• D. Virtual and inverted

Answer 1

The correct option is B

Virtual and erect

Explanation for correct option:
Option B:
The most widely used mirrors are plane mirrors. The image formed by a plane mirror is a reflected image in its normal proportions but reversed from left to right.
Let us suppose an image is formed by a plane mirror as given below:

Characteristics of the image formed by a plane mirror:

1. It is virtual, i.e., it is formed behind the mirror without the actual intersection of light rays.
2. It is erect, which means up straight.
3. The image is laterally inverted, i.e., it is reversed from left to right.
4. The size of the image is the same as the size of the object, $h_i=h_o$.
5. The distance of the object from the plane mirror is the same as the distance of the image from the plane mirror, i.e., $BC=CD$.

Explanation for incorrect options:
Option A:

The image formed by a plane mirror cannot be obtained on a screen, so it is not real. So, this option is incorrect.
Option C:

Since the image formed by a plane mirror cannot be obtained on a screen, so it is not real. Also, this image is erect. So this option is not correct.

Option D:
The image formed by a plane mirror is up straight, i.e., it is erect. So this option is incorrect.

Hence, option B is the correct answer.