Question

Neha visited a dentist in his clinic. She observed that the dentist was holding an instrument fitted with a mirror. State the nature of this mirror and reason for its use in the instrument used by dentist.

Answer 1

The nature of this mirror is the concave type and the reason for its use in the instrument used by dentists is to obtain an erect and magnified image of teeth.

Step1: Concave mirror:

1. A concave mirror gives the dentist a magnified reflection of the mouth while also refracting a little bit of light.
2. This means the image in the mirror is big, and brighter, and for the dentist, its easier to see.
3. Another positive point of using a concave mirror is that the image in the mirror isn't inverted.

Step2: Explanation:

1. The dentist holds a tiny concave mirror inside in such a way that the tooth lies within the focus of the mirror, and then a magnified image of the tooth is seen by the dentist in the concave mirror.
2. Since the tooth looks a bit larger, it becomes easier to check for a defect in the tooth.
3. Also, the object kept at a distance less than the focal length produces enlarged, erect and virtual images of the object.
4. Which accesses the doctor to clearly see the image of the tooth or the part of the mouth that is being inspected.

Thus, the nature of this mirror is the concave mirror and the reason is to obtain an erect and magnified image of teeth.