What is the Difference Between Virtual and Real Images?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between real and virtual images lies in the way they are produced and their appearance. Here are the key differences between real and virtual images:
- Formation: Real images are formed when light rays converge, whereas virtual images occur when light rays only appear to diverge.
- Inversion: Real images are inverted, while virtual images are erect.
- Image Location: Real images can be formed on a screen, while virtual images appear to be on the lens or the mirror itself.
- Optical Formation: Real images are typically formed by concave mirrors and convex lenses, while virtual images can be formed by plane mirrors, convex mirrors, and concave lenses.
- Intersection of Light Rays: Real images are formed due to the actual intersection of light rays, while virtual images are formed due to the imaginary intersection of light rays.
Some examples of virtual images include images formed in plane mirrors, rearview mirrors of vehicles, and images formed in convex mirrors. On the other hand, real images can be observed in a concave mirror or when a convex lens is used.
Comparative Table: Virtual vs Real Images
Here is a table comparing the differences between virtual and real images:
Feature | Real Image | Virtual Image |
---|---|---|
Formation | Formed when rays converge | Formed when rays only appear to diverge |
Inversion | Inverted | Erect |
Lens | Always formed by a convex lens | Can be formed by concave, convex, or plane mirrors |
Screen | Formed on the screen | Appears to be on the lens or the mirror itself |
Mirror | Formed by a concave mirror | Formed by a convex mirror |
Ray Intersection | Real images are formed due to the actual intersection of light rays | Virtual images are formed when light rays imaginarily interact with each other |
Ray Direction | Light rays diverge from the same side of the mirror after converging and forming the real image | Light rays assumed to diverge from a point somewhere behind the mirror |
Virtual images are created through the reflection or refraction of light rays, while real images are created by the convergence of light rays at a specific point. Real images can be displayed on a screen, whereas virtual images appear to be on the lens or the mirror itself.
- Photo vs Image
- Augmented Reality vs Virtual Reality
- Ideal vs Real
- Appearance vs Reality
- Visualization vs Image Processing
- Image vs Shadow
- Real Numbers vs Imaginary Numbers
- Virtual vs Abstract
- Physical vs Virtual Memory
- Perception vs Reality
- Photography vs Digital Photography
- IMAX 3D vs Real 3D
- Image Space vs Object Space
- Imagine vs Visualize
- Optical vs Digital zoom
- Optical Zoom vs Megapixel
- Complex Numbers vs Real Numbers
- Reality vs Dreams
- Reality vs Actuality