Uses of Concave Mirrors

Concave mirrors are converging mirrors as they converge the light rays to one point. They are used in different fields like medicine, physics and even chemistry. Before we start exploring the uses of concave mirrors, let us get introduced to how we can determine whether a given mirror is a concave mirror, a plane mirror or a convex mirror. 

To identify the type of mirror, hold it in your hand, and observe your image in it. 

• If it gives you a smaller image, it is a convex mirror 
• If it gives you the same sized image, it is a plane mirror
• If it gives you an enlarged image, it is a concave mirror 

Uses of Concave Mirrors

Concave mirrors are used mainly to serve two different purposes:

1. Areas where we need an enlarged image of the given object, for example: 

• For ENT doctors
• In a microscope
• In the headlights of vehicles
• In searchlights
• In visual bomb detectors

2. Areas where we need to focus or concentrate light rays at a point, for example: 

• Solar cookers 
• Solar furnaces.

Concave Mirrors Examples

Some of the most practical concave mirror examples include:

1. Torchlights and Flashlights: Concave mirrors are used in torchlights and flashlight mirrors of cameras. In a torchlight, the bulb is placed at the focus of the concave mirror. When the bulb is switched on, the light rays emerge out and fall on the pole of the concave mirror. After reflection, scattering of light takes place when it comes out of the surface of the mirror.
2. Ophthalmoscope: Ophthalmoscope is a device mainly designed using mirrors and lenses to examine the internal structure of a patient’s eye. It has a concave mirror with an opening in the centre through which the doctor would examine the patient’s eye.
3. Make-up and Shaving: As concave mirrors produce an enlarged image of an object, they are used in parlours and salons for clients to see their faces after being shaved or after their make-up.
4. Headlights of Vehicles: The use of concave mirrors in a car headlight is similar to their use in torchlights and searchlights.
5. Astronomical Telescopes: In a telescope, the reflector has a primary mirror, which is a concave mirror. This primary mirror converges the light to the secondary mirror. The converged light reflects from the secondary mirror, again diverges from the focus and reaches the convex lens and finally the eye.
6. Dental Clinics: Concave mirrors are used by dentists to view an enlarged image of the patient’s teeth while doing minor or major dental surgeries.
7. Optical Stores: Myopic patients cannot see themselves in plane mirrors kept at a distance, hence they need their enlarged images in a mirror placed close to them. As concave mirrors give enlarged images, those who visit optical stores to try and buy spectacles require concave mirrors to see how they look in different spectacles.
8. Head Mirror for ENT Doctors: ENT doctors need to see the enlarged image of the internal structure of the human ear or internal condition of the patient’s nose or even throat. For this, concave mirrors are used as their head mirrors.
9. Visual-Bomb Detectors: Concave mirrors can help us see below the vehicle. Hence, it can be used as visual bomb detectors too. 

Conclusion

It is important to note that concave mirrors are used either for focussing/converging light at a point or obtaining an enlarged image of a given object. They find applications across various kinds of everyday objects and products, and that has been explained in this article. So now, look around, and spot as many concave mirror examples as you can!