Which statement is NOT true about a VIRTUAL image?
a. Its location can be calculated, but it cannot be viewed directly by your eye without using auxiliary lenses.
b. It can be photographed.
c. It cannot be viewed on a screen.
d. A plane mirror always forms a virtual image.
e. A concave lens always forms a virtual image.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: c. It cannot be viewed on a screen.
Explanation:
A virtual image is an image formed when light rays diverge, but appear to originate from a single point behind the mirror or lens. The main characteristic of a virtual image is that the light rays do not actually converge at the image’s location. Instead, they appear to come from a point behind the reflecting or refracting surface.
Let’s break down each option:
- a. Its location can be calculated, but it cannot be viewed directly by your eye without using auxiliary lenses.
This statement is true. A virtual image’s location can be calculated mathematically using the mirror or lens formula. However, you cannot view it directly because the light rays do not physically converge at the image location. Instead, auxiliary lenses (like a magnifying glass) are required to focus the light rays and make the image visible. - b. It can be photographed.
This statement is also true. While a virtual image cannot be captured directly by the human eye, it can be photographed with a camera by using a lens that can focus the diverging rays onto the camera’s film or sensor. In this case, the auxiliary lens captures the image. - c. It cannot be viewed on a screen.
This is the correct answer. A virtual image cannot be projected onto a screen because the light rays do not actually converge at a point. Instead, the rays only appear to converge at the image location, so they cannot be focused onto a physical surface like a screen. - d. A plane mirror always forms a virtual image.
This statement is true. A plane mirror always forms a virtual image that is upright, of the same size as the object, and located behind the mirror. - e. A concave lens always forms a virtual image.
This statement is true. A concave lens (a diverging lens) always forms a virtual, upright, and diminished image, regardless of the object’s distance from the lens.
In summary, the key feature of virtual images is that the light rays appear to come from a point, but they do not physically converge there. This is why they cannot be projected onto a screen directly.