“Don’t take mirrors too seriously” goes a saying and that saying is true to some extend especially for convex mirrors. You may wonder as to what are these convex mirrors? Or you may say that ‘yes I remember studying about these mirrors during my school days but now I cannot recollect what these mirrors are’. So in this article let us first discuss - what are convex mirrors? Convex mirrors are also known as “fish eye mirror” and that is because these mirrors have curved surface that bulge outwards and it reflects light outwards. The images formed on these mirrors are virtual image due which means that the image is inside the mirror and hence such image cannot be projected on a screen. Amazing feature of convex mirrors is that the image seen through these mirrors are erect and they appear much smaller than the actual size of the object and if the object gets closer to the mirror then it appears large. Now that we have understood what a convex mirror is, we will look at some of the uses and benefits of these mirrors.
Uses of Convex Mirrors
In buildings - Convex mirrors are used inside large buildings. These mirrors help in seeing around the corners of the building or when cars take sharp turns inside the campus. They are used mostly in hospitals, schools, large stores and offices so that the people in the building can have a clear view of the corners which otherwise could be a challenge.
In Automobiles - The rear-view mirrors in cars and other automobiles use convex mirrors because they provide information to the driver at a wide angle. They cover a large area behind the vehicle by giving a clear view of the vehicles behind and making it look as though it were near.
In Sunglasses - Sunglasses are worn to protect the eyes from sun’s glare which can be a cause of headaches and migraines. Hence, the lens of sunglasses is made of convex mirrors which help in reflecting the sunlight away from the person’s eyes.
In Magnifying glass - People with vision problems use magnifying glasses so that they are able to see the objects in a magnified form making it clear from a distance. Magnifying glasses are made with convex mirrors by placing two convex mirrors back to back. Professionals like photographers and jewelers widely use magnifying glasses for their profession.
For Security purposes - These mirrors can even be used outdoors. The outdoor convex ones are made with weather resistant materials and so these mirrors can be placed for security purposes outside ATM’s which makes it easy to check on the people standing behind.
Benefits of these mirrors
Good Overview – One of the most common benefits why many people opt for this mirror is because these help in getting a good overview of the entire area which helps in being aware of the surroundings and helps in eliminating blind spots.
Avoid Collision - Another benefit of using convex mirror is that since it gives a wide angle view it helps in preventing any collision and ensures the safety of people.
Anticipate danger - These mirrors helps to see objects that are far as though they were near due to which these mirrors helps in anticipating any dangers of successively into each other and preventing accidents. To conclude, these are some of the uses and benefits of these mirrors. There are many more uses like they are used in telescopes and street light reflectors. So, the next time you look at your car’s rear view mirrors you will remember convex mirrors.