Mirrors — Image Formation

Interactive geometric optics simulation to study image formation in plane, concave and convex mirrors. Adjust the object distance, the focal length and the candle height; click Start to see the principal rays travel along the optical bench and form the image with animation. Drag the candle directly on the canvas to reposition it.

The principal rays are traced in the paraxial (Gaussian) approximation: a ray parallel to the axis → reflects through the focus; a ray through the focus → reflects parallel to the axis; a ray through the vertex → reflects symmetrically. The Gaussian equation $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{p} + \frac{1}{p'}$ determines the position of the image, and the linear magnification $A = -p'/p$ indicates size and orientation.

Rhakny Patryky Peixoto Araújo