The magic of reflection An infant reacting to his or her image reflected in a mirror. (more) How Do Mirrors Work? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Do-Mirrors-Work Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Apr 8, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot How Do Mirrors Work?, The law of reflection is fundamental to how mirrors work. When light hits a mirror, it reflects off the surface at an angle equal to the angle at which it arrived. This principle allows mirrors to form images by reflecting light in a predictable manner. Mirrors can have either plane or curved surfaces, each serving different purposes. Plane mirrors reflect light to produce images that are the same size as the object being reflected. Curved mirrors, such as concave and convex mirrors, can magnify or reduce images. For example, concave mirrors are used in telescopes to ...(100 of 185 words)

　　Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!