The side view mirrors of vehicles are usually of which type of mirror?

Mirrors are reflective surfaces that redirect light to form images. In vehicles, side view mirrors are crucial for safety, helping the driver monitor traffic and obstacles. Among different types of mirrors—plane, concave, and convex—convex mirrors are commonly used for this purpose.

A convex mirror has an outward-curving reflective surface. When light rays hit a convex mirror, they diverge, meaning the reflected rays spread out. The human eye perceives these diverging rays as coming from a smaller, upright, and virtual image behind the mirror.

Key reasons why convex mirrors are used in vehicles:

1. 
   

   Wider Field of View: Convex mirrors allow drivers to see more area compared to plane mirrors, covering adjacent lanes and reducing blind spots.

   
   


2. 
   

   Upright Image: The image appears upright, which is easier for drivers to interpret while moving at high speeds.

   
   


3. 
   

   Reduced Image Size: Objects appear smaller, allowing the driver to see more objects in a limited mirror space.

   
   

Comparing the other options:

• 
  

  Concave mirrors: Converge light rays and can produce magnified images. These are unsuitable for side mirrors because they narrow the field of view.

  
  


• 
  

  Plane mirrors: Produce images of the same size but have a limited field of view, which can be unsafe.

  
  


• 
  

  Inverted mirrors: Not used in vehicles; not relevant.

  
  

In conclusion, side view mirrors of vehicles are convex mirrors (Option A) because they improve safety by giving a wide, upright, and reduced image of the surroundings. This is a fundamental concept in everyday physics and optics.