Image Formation for Plane Mirrors. To view an object in any type of mirror, a person must sight along a line at the image of the object. All persons capable of seeing the image must sight along a line of sight directed towards the precise image location. As a person sights in a mirror at the image of an object, there will be reflected rays of light coming from the mirror to that person's eye. The origin of this light ray is the object. A multitude of light rays from the object are incident on the mirror in a variety of directions. Yet as you sight at the image, only a small portion of these rays will reflect off the mirror and travel to your eye.
Not all people who are viewing the object in the mirror will sight along the same geometrical line of sight. In the animation above, an object is positioned in front of a plane mirror. For more information on the ray nature of light, visit The Physics Classroom Tutorial. The Role of Light to SightThe Line of SightThe Law of ReflectionWhy is an Image Formed?
Mechanical Advantage. Browse Interactives. A Physical Pendulum, The Parallel Axis Theorem and A Bit of Calculus. Video | Pearson CPD TVPearson CPD TV. AmBook. Home - Science NetLinks. Afterschool Resources. Wild-Inspired Robotic Arms. DAVID POGUE: So, when an engineer, like you, comes to the zoo, do you see it differently from regular visitors?
HEINRICH FRONTZEK (Festo): I think so, because we want to get inspired by the nature, and here in the zoo, they're so concentrated, the huge variety of animals, all optimized for that application. And we are thinking in application, so why should…? This is a paradise for an engineer. DAVID POGUE: Heinrich works for an automation company, trying to improve one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, the robotic arm. It's been revolutionizing factories since the first one was introduced, in 1961, at General Motors. But robotic arms have some problems. The German automation company Heinrich works for, Festo, decided to reinvent the robotic arm, making it more flexible and less dangerous. So why would you look at an elephant's trunk and think this would help you with automation? Little elephant snot for you. ZOOKEEPER: Now she collects the water. Breakfast is on. Beep! Perspective: Improving STEM Education with Next Generation Science Standards.
By Chad Dorsey These are exciting times in education. Public awareness of the need for science, technology, engineering and math education is rising, and new STEM initiatives are beginning across the nation. In this issue, we welcome one of the most important events in this new awareness of STEM, the release of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These new standards highlight important new dimensions for science education and present many opportunities for technology to aid teaching and learning. The importance of these new standards and their heritage should not be underestimated. The NGSS have been a long time in coming, and are grounded in the National Academy of Science's thoughtful and important Framework for K-12 Science Education. Together, these documents signify a new and influential direction for STEM education. Our true call as a nation is to prepare a world of future scientists, engineers and citizens who are fluent in the way science and engineering are performed.