To obtain an erect image with a concave mirror, the object must be placed within the focal length of the mirror. For a concave mirror with a focal length of 15 cm, the object should be placed less than 15 cm from the mirror. The image formed will be virtual, erect, and larger than the object. This occurs because concave mirrors magnify objects when they are placed closer to the mirror than its focal point.


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Introduction to Image Formation by Concave Mirrors

Basic Principles of Concave Mirrors: Concave mirrors are curved mirrors that converge light rays to a focal point. The nature of the image formed by a concave mirror depends on the object’s distance from the mirror.

Focal Length of Concave Mirrors

Defining the Focal Point: The focal length of a concave mirror is the distance from the mirror to its focal point. For the given concave mirror, this distance is 15 cm.

Desired Image Characteristics
Requirement for an Erect Image: To obtain an erect image using a concave mirror, the object must be placed within the focal length of the mirror. This means the object should be located at a distance less than the mirror’s focal length.

Appropriate Object Distance

Determining the Range: For a concave mirror with a 15 cm focal length, the object should be placed anywhere less than 15 cm from the mirror. This placement ensures the formation of the desired image.

Nature of the Formed Image

Virtual and Erect: When the object is within the focal length of a concave mirror, the image formed is virtual and erect. This means the image cannot be projected onto a screen and appears to be upright.

Image Size Relative to the Object

Magnification Aspect: In this scenario, the image will also be larger than the object. Concave mirrors magnify objects when they are placed closer than the focal point, leading to an enlarged, upright image.


Therefore, to achieve an erect and magnified image with the concave mirror, the object must be positioned within 15 cm from it, resulting in a virtual, erect, and larger image.

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Questions of 10th Science Chapter 9 in Detail

Define the principal focus of a concave mirror.
The radius of curvature of a spherical mirror is 20 cm. What is its focal length?
Name a mirror that can give an erect and enlarged image of an object.
Why do we prefer a convex mirror as a rear-view mirror in vehicles?
Find the focal length of a convex mirror whose radius of curvature is 32 cm.
A concave mirror produces three times magnified (enlarged) real image of an object placed at 10 cm in front of it. Where is the image located?
A ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely into water. Does the light ray bend towards the normal or away from the normal? Why?
Light enters from air to glass having refractive index 1.50. What is the speed of light in the glass?
Find out, from Table, the medium having highest optical density. Also find the medium with lowest optical density.
You are given kerosene, turpentine and water. In which of these does the light travel fastest?
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Define 1 dioptre of power of a lens.
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Find the power of a concave lens of focal length 2 m.
We wish to obtain an erect image of an object, using a concave mirror of focal length 15 cm. What should be the range of distance of the object from the mirror?
Name the type of mirror used in the following situations. (a) Headlights of a car. (b) Side/rear-view mirror of a vehicle. (c) Solar furnace.
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An object 5 cm in length is held 25 cm away from a converging lens of focal length 10 cm. What is the position, size and the nature of the image formed.
A concave lens of focal length 15 cm forms an image 10 cm from the lens. How far is the object placed from the lens?
An object is placed at a distance of 10 cm from a convex mirror of focal length 15 cm. Find the position and nature of the image.
The magnification produced by a plane mirror is +1. What does this mean?
An object 5.0 cm in length is placed at a distance of 20 cm in front of a convex mirror of radius of curvature 30 cm. Find the position of the image, its nature and size.
An object of size 7.0 cm is placed at 27 cm in front of a concave mirror of focal length 18 cm. At what distance from the mirror should a screen be placed, so that a sharp focussed image can be obtained?
Find the focal length of a lens of power – 2.0 D. What type of lens is this?
A doctor has prescribed a corrective lens of power +1.5 D. Find the focal length of the lens. Is the prescribed lens diverging or converging?