Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-2-paper-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021-resit/2/c/solution
Past exam of the physics 2 paper of the University of Oxford 2021 resit 2 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
The minimum is two additional plane mirrors, making three including the flip plane mirror. Their reflecting planes can meet at in the vertical section, as in a pentaprism. For example, in the section take the first added reflecting plane at to and the second at . The upward beam first travels diagonally forwards and upwards, then horizontally backwards towards an eye looking forwards. The two reflections together rotate directions through : the propagation direction becomes , while the screen's top direction becomes at the eye. Thus the picture remains upright vertically.
One additional plane mirror would also send into , but it would send the top direction into , making the image upside down. This proves minimality for ordinary plane mirrors. The three-reflection arrangement still reverses left and right; correcting that additionally requires a roof arrangement or another suitable image-erecting system. Vertical erection alone is what is asked here.
An original vertical-section ray construction with the minimum two added plane mirrors
. Details. New to topics? Read the docs here!
