E-Mail

Web Site

Print this   Send this

Have you ever noticed that if you look at the ‘back’ side of a spoon (Figure 1), you can see a tiny image of yourself? If you look at the ‘soup’ side (Figure 2), you also see a tiny image, but it is upside down. This might seem a bit puzzling, but with a bit of 'reflection', you can understand how this works.

When you look at the backside of the spoon (Figure 3), you are really looking into a curved mirror --- a convex mirror. The two sample light rays from the top of the object (your face) reflect in such a way that they spread out, or diverge. To your eyes, the reflected rays seem to come from a tiny image behind the mirror. There ght behind the mirror, though. The erect image you see is a virtual image.

When you look at the front side of the spoon (Figure 4), you see an upside down image of yourself. The two sample rays from the top of the object (your face) reflect from the concave surface and meet a short distance in front of the mirror. To your eyes, there is a tiny, upside down image of yourself just in front of the mirror What happens if you bring the concave side of the spoon very close to your eye? Eat lots of soup. It will give you something to reflect on, and lots of food for thought!

Special thanks to the Kitchen Staff at The Hamlets for lending the editor a nice big, shiny spoon!