Real and Virtual Images

What are real images?

The images formed when actual light rays meet at a point are called real images. These images can be obtained on the screen.

What are virtual images?

The images which are formed behind the mirror when it seems that light rays meet behind the mirror even though they never meet in reality are called virtual images. Virtual images can not be obtained on the screen.

Why virtual images are called so?

Since virtual images are formed by the imaginary or virtual intersection of light rays, due to which they are called virtual images.

Why real images are always inverted?

This is because of the fact that real image is formed when the light rays are converged. The real images are always formed below the principal axis and are always formed inverted.

What are some examples of Real and Virtual Images?

An example of Real image is the Image formed on the cinema screen. Also, image formed after the reflection of light from a plane mirror is an example of virtual image. 

Which lenses form real images and virtual images?

The lens which form the Real images are Convex Lenses (But it can also form virtual image at certain cases). While the lens which form virtual Images are concave lenses. 

 A movie projector forms real images on the screen. Why the image formed is not inverted?

A movie projector uses two mirrors to project the image on the screen. The first mirror inverts the images, and the second mirror inverts them again, so the final image formed is not inverted.

Real and Virtual Images are the two types of images formed by the reflection and refraction of light rays. The key difference between real and virtual images is that the real image is formed by the actual intersection of light rays after reflection or refraction of light, while the virtual Images are formed when light rays appear to meet at a point in the area beyond the mirror. Hence, to obtain a real image, the light rays converge while to obtain a virtual image, the light rays diverge.

Read more about the real and virtual image, their formation, examples, etc, and the differences between the real and virtual images in this article.