Lateral inversion and rear view

Lateral Inversion & Rear View Mirror — Class 8 Activity

An interactive experiment to explore how plane and convex mirrors form images, and how lateral inversion helps in real-life mirrors.

Materials Required

Do not use sharp glass pieces. Use mirrors with smooth edges or framed mirrors.

Understanding Lateral Inversion (Plane Mirror)
One student holds a flashcard with the word LEFT written on it and stands in front of a plane mirror. The class observes how the word appears reversed — this is lateral inversion. Now write your own name and observe the same effect.
EchoLearning
The student says: “Plane mirror shows lateral inversion!” — and the class echoes it aloud.
Exploring Rear View Mirrors (Convex Mirror)
Place the convex mirror on a desk and position two small toy cars (or students) behind it at different distances. Everyone observes that both cars are visible together, though they look smaller and farther — this is how convex mirrors help drivers see a wider field of view.
Compare Both Mirrors
Plane mirror: image same size, laterally inverted.
Convex mirror: image smaller, virtual, and erect.

Let students come forward, hold the flashcard, and explain what they see.
Encourage group reflection: “Where do we use this property in real life?” (rear-view mirrors, ambulance letters, etc.)

Q1. What do you call the reversal of left and right sides in a plane mirror?

Lateral inversion

Q2. Which type of mirror is used as a rear-view mirror in vehicles?

Convex mirror

Q3. Why is a convex mirror preferred for rear-view mirrors?

Because it gives a wider field of view and forms erect, diminished images of vehicles behind.

Q4. What type of image is formed by a convex mirror?

Virtual, erect, and diminished image.

Q5. When you stand in front of a plane mirror, which hand of your image moves when you raise your right hand?

The image’s left hand appears to move — due to lateral inversion.

Q6. What safety message is often written laterally inverted on vehicles?

AMBULANCE — so that it appears correctly in the driver’s mirror ahead.

Q7. Which mirror gives a virtual image smaller than the object and used for parking assistance?

Convex mirror

Q8. What kind of reflection occurs in a mirror surface?

Regular reflection