figure A
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The second mirror from the left is a single convex mirror. The convex mirror has a reflective surface that curves outward, creating a wider field of view and making objects appear smaller than they are in reality.
Convex mirrors are commonly used in vehicles to provide a wider field of view. They are also used in security cameras to create a larger area of surveillance. Concave mirrors are used in reflecting telescopes to gather and focus light onto a single point for clearer images.
Light rays can converge or diverge based on the type of lens or mirror they pass through. Converging lenses and concave mirrors cause light rays to converge, focusing them at a single point known as the focal point. Diverging lenses and convex mirrors cause light rays to diverge, spreading them out.
Concave mirrors are preferred in solar cookers because they can focus sunlight onto a single point, creating high temperatures for cooking. This concentrated heat allows for faster cooking times and more efficient use of solar energy. Convex mirrors, on the other hand, would scatter the sunlight rather than concentrating it.
A parabolic concave mirror reflects light differently than other mirrors because it focuses incoming light rays to a single point called the focal point. This results in a sharper and more concentrated reflection compared to flat or convex mirrors, which disperse light in different directions.
The focal length is negative for a convex mirror because the light rays do not actually converge at a single point in front of the mirror. Instead, they appear to diverge from a virtual focal point behind the mirror.