Mirror Equation Calculator
Calculate image position and magnification for mirrors.
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Select the mirror type, enter the focal length and object distance in centimeters. The calculator computes the image distance, magnification, and describes the image characteristics.
About Mirror Equation
The mirror equation relates object distance, image distance, and focal length for spherical mirrors. Concave mirrors focus light and can produce real or virtual images depending on object placement. Convex mirrors always produce virtual, diminished images and are used as wide-angle mirrors. The magnification equation m = -di/do gives the size and orientation of the image. These principles are essential in telescope design, automotive mirrors, and solar concentrators.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the mirror equation?
The mirror equation is 1/f = 1/do + 1/di, where f is focal length, do is object distance, and di is image distance. It applies to both concave and convex mirrors.
How do concave and convex mirrors differ?
Concave mirrors have a positive focal length and can form real or virtual images. Convex mirrors have a negative focal length and always form virtual, upright, reduced images.
What does magnification tell you?
Magnification (m = -di/do) indicates image size relative to the object. Positive magnification means the image is upright; negative means it is inverted. Values greater than 1 in magnitude mean the image is enlarged.