elative Name Section Date CONCEPTUAL PHYSICAL SCIENCE Activity rs. Light Plane Mirror Images are Mirror rorriM Purpose To investigate the minimum size of a mirror in which you want to see a full image of yourself Apparatus large mirror, preferably full-length ruler masking tape Discussion pad Why do shoe stores and clothing shops have full-length mirrors? Must a mirror be as tall and as wide as you for you to see a complete image of yourself? Procedure Step 1: Stand about an arm's length in front of a vertical full-length mirror. Reach out and place a small piece of masking tape on the image of the top of your head. Now stare at your toes. Place the other piece of tape on the mirror where your toes are seen. Use a meter stick to measure the mirror's distance from the top of your head to your toes, and then measure your actual height. How does the distance between the pieces of tape on the mirror compare with your height? Step 2: Now stand about 3 meters from the mirror and repeat Step 1. Stare at the top of your head and toes, and have an assistant move the tape so that the pieces of tape mark where your head and feet are seen. Move farther away or closer, and repeat. What do you discover? Summing Up 1. Does the location of the tape depend on your distance from the mirror? 2. What is the shortest mirror you can use to see your entire image? Do you believe it? MIRROR RORRIM 145Going Further Try this one if a full-length mirror is not readily available or you are a disbeliever! Hold a ruler next to your eye. Measure the height of a common pocket mirror. Hold the mirror in front of you so that the image includes the ruler. How many centimeters of the ruler appear in the image? How does this compare with the height of the mirror