What type of mirror has a flat, reflective surface?

What type of mirror has a flat, reflective surface?

• A. Convex mirror
• B. Concave mirror
• C. Plane mirror
• D. Spherical mirror

Answer: (C)

A plane mirror has a flat, reflective surface, allowing it to produce an image that is the same size as the object being reflected, with no distortion. This characteristic arises from the mirror's uniformity, which means that light rays reflecting off the surface do so at equal angles, creating a clear and accurate image. In contrast, mirrors like convex and concave have curved surfaces. A convex mirror causes light rays to diverge, resulting in a smaller, wider view of the reflected image. A concave mirror, on the other hand, converges light rays and can produce magnified images when the object is placed close to the surface. Although spherical mirrors can be concave or convex, their surfaces are not flat, unlike a plane mirror. Therefore, the defining feature of a plane mirror—its flat reflective surface—is what makes it distinct in this context.

A plane mirror has a flat, reflective surface, allowing it to produce an image that is the same size as the object being reflected, with no distortion. This characteristic arises from the mirror's uniformity, which means that light rays reflecting off the surface do so at equal angles, creating a clear and accurate image.

In contrast, mirrors like convex and concave have curved surfaces. A convex mirror causes light rays to diverge, resulting in a smaller, wider view of the reflected image. A concave mirror, on the other hand, converges light rays and can produce magnified images when the object is placed close to the surface. Although spherical mirrors can be concave or convex, their surfaces are not flat, unlike a plane mirror. Therefore, the defining feature of a plane mirror—its flat reflective surface—is what makes it distinct in this context.