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Mirrors

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
Why, when you turn a mirror upside down, doesn't the reflection turn upside down ?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are you serious?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think he is.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Miffy wrote: »
    Are you serious?

    Yes, i assume you know why it doesn't. So go on, tell :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's one of the properties of a plane mirror that the image produced is always upright. You're going to tell me that you weren't talking about a plane mirror now!

    Waiting for the catch now. :nervous:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There isn't one, i just wondered. You don't know unless you ask :) Ta
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've been around Mr Miffy too long! Everything has a punchline with him!! :lol:

    Sorry Rubberskin! :D
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lol
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    Indrid ColdIndrid Cold Posts: 16,688 Skive's The Limit
    Because the light hits the mirror from the same direction, no matter where the mirror is facing?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Indrid Cold wrote: »
    Because the light hits the mirror from the same direction, no matter where the mirror is facing?

    The law of reflection, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. I put that to begin with as well, but then I thought that even if the angle of incidence changes and the light hits the mirror from a different direction, the reflected image is still upright, so it's more to do with the properties of plane mirrors really.
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    Indrid ColdIndrid Cold Posts: 16,688 Skive's The Limit
    Miffy wrote: »
    The law of reflection, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. I put that to begin with as well, but then I thought that even if the angle of incidence changes and the light hits the mirror from a different direction, the reflected image is still upright, so it's more to do with the properties of plane mirrors really.
    The light bouncing off the objects you see in the mirror, comes from the same direction. That's what I meant, my vocabulary isn't THAT good though. Your face is still in the same place, and the light from it will reach the mirror the same way even if it's upside down.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Indrid Cold wrote: »
    The light bouncing off the objects you see in the mirror, comes from the same direction. That's what I meant, my vocabulary isn't THAT good though. Your face is still in the same place, and the light from it will reach the mirror the same way even if it's upside down.

    Oh yes, I see what you mean.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I suppose if you did a handstand it would turn the reflection upside down.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Way I thought of it was if you had a plate, and put your hand over one half, even if you rotated the plate the shadow from your hand would stay in the same place. You don't actually 'see' a mirror, you're seeing reflected light.
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