Name the type of mirror used in the following situations.

(a) Headlights of a car

(b) Side/rear-view mirror of a vehicle

(c) Solar furnace

Support your answer with reason.

(a) Concave (b) Convex (c) Concave

Explanation

(a) Concave mirror is used in the headlights of a car. This is because concave mirrors can produce powerful parallel beam of light when the light source is placed at their principal focus.

(b) Convex mirror is used in side/rear view mirror of a vehicle. Convex mirrors give a virtual, erect, and diminished image of the objects placed in front of it. Because of this, they have a wide field of view. It enables the driver to see most of the traffic behind him/her.

(c) Concave mirrors are convergent mirrors. That is why they are used to construct solar furnaces. Concave mirrors converge the light incident on them at a single point known as principal focus. Hence, they can be used to produce a large amount of heat at that point.