How is the image formed by a plane mirror?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. virtual and erect.
The image formed by a plane mirror is virtual and erect. It appears behind the mirror at the same distance as the object is in front of it. Since the reflected rays do not actually meet but only appear to diverge from a point behind the mirror, the image cannot be projected on a screen, making it virtual. The image is upright, meaning it maintains the same orientation as the object. Additionally, the image is laterally inverted (left and right are reversed) and is exactly the same size as the object. These properties are why plane mirrors are commonly used for reflection in daily life.
Other Option:
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Virtual and inverted: The image is not inverted vertically.
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Virtual and erect: True, but this option misses the key feature of lateral inversion.
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Erect and inverted: Contradictory terms; the image cannot be both erect and inverted.