Virtual light rays must be traced back from the eye, along the real light ray, and carry on in a perfectly straight line behind the mirror/reflector

All Textbook Topics - Light - Properties of virtual light rays - Virtual light rays must be traced back from the eye, along the real light ray, and carry on in a perfectly straight line behind the mirror/reflector

Virtual light rays must be traced back from the eye, along the real light ray, and carry on in a perfectly straight line behind the mirror/reflector

You can see in the picture that the virtual light ray carries on exactly, ruler straight, from the real light ray coming towards the eye.

When you draw a diagram of this, you must use a ruler to make sure the virtual ray carries on ruler straight when you follow back the real ray going into the eye:

So you end up with this, correct, diagram:

All of our textbook pages have associated quizzes. Register for free to access them.