The mirror: Try it yourself.

Let me show you how a mirror works.

Needed:

- A piece of paper
- an object smaller than the piece of paper
- A mirror larger than the piece of paper

Task:

Place the piece of paper against the mirror.
Keep the object with your hand on the piece of paper against the mirror.
Now look at the side of the piece of paper into the mirror and see if you can see the object you're holding against the piece of paper.

Please post your results.

Thank you.

a reply to: Untun

cool. placed a piece of paper over my phone in lock mode. place finger on the back of the paper.
I see what I shouldn't be seeing. But, how is this possible?
Is my brain filling in the blanks?
Are we living in a virtual reality?

www.iflscience.com...

a reply to: Untun

You're wondering why the object reflects despite something blocking the light?

Nothing is blocking the light between the object, you and the mirror. your eyes are a mirror?

a reply to: Untun

You will be able to see the object directly behind the paper if you look at the mirror from an angle, because the mirror reflects back to you the angle you're looking from, not the angle behind it.

twitter.com...

It appears that the image hits your eyes first, and then bounces to the 'mirror' and bounces it back as an inverted image. So this means that reflection on mirrors don't exist until you see an image and then process it and then bounce it to the 'mirror'.

It's weird, not using a piece of paper and an object it's like when looking in the mirror you either see the mirror or what is in the mirror but never both at the same time.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

Now try that with 2 Mirrors Opposite one another like in a Barber Shop back in the Day ..........Infinity .

a reply to: Untun
It's, obviously, a question of perspective.

In my experiment I could see the object directly but I could not see the object's reflection in the mirror.

The object was a coin.

a reply to: RAY1990

"You're wondering why the object reflects despite something blocking the light?"-

That sounds like one of my ex-wives.....

sorry...carry on.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

I bet she stole the light out of your eyes too and you didn't see it coming!

Good to see you around btw, hope all is well.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

No, it's because mirrors don't reflect images they reflect photons.
The photons with the information of that image are not being blocked.

a reply to: Untun

It's a matter of angle...

I would be more freaked out the law of reflection has broken down if it didn't cut off the part of the object that has no direct line of sight to the mirror.

Do you not understand how mirrors work or something? Wait until you find out that if you cover your mouth and speak into a microphone it still hears you... your mind's gonna blow!

How about a mirror flips left and right, but not up and down?