virtual image

optics

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July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

A virtual image is an optical image that appears to be formed by light rays that do not actually converge at the image location. Unlike a real image, which can be projected onto a screen, a virtual image cannot. This type of image is commonly seen in a plane mirror, where the image appears to be behind the mirror, or formed by a concave lens, which always produces virtual images.123

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optical image
…kinds of images, real and virtual. In a real image the light rays actually are brought to a focus at the image position, and the real image may be made visible on a screen—e.g., a sheet of paper—whereas a virtual image cannot. Examples of real images are those made by…
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…kinds of images, real and virtual. In a real image the light rays actually are brought to a focus at the image position, and the real image may be made visible on a screen—e.g., a sheet of paper—whereas a virtual image cannot. Examples of real images are those made by…
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optics
Historical background
A virtual image, on the other hand, is formed inside an instrument at the point where diverging rays would cross if they were extended backward into the instrument. Such an image is formed in a microscope or telescope and can be seen by looking into the…
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A virtual image, on the other hand, is formed inside an instrument at the point where diverging rays would cross if they were extended backward into the instrument. Such an image is formed in a microscope or telescope and can be seen by looking into the…
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lens
Optical principles for lenses
…or visible on a screen—or virtual—visible only upon looking into the lens, as in a microscope. The image may be much larger or smaller than the object, depending on the focal length of the lens and on the distance between the lens and the object. The focal length of a…
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…or visible on a screen—or virtual—visible only upon looking into the lens, as in a microscope. The image may be much larger or smaller than the object, depending on the focal length of the lens and on the distance between the lens and the object. The focal length of a…
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microscope
Magnification
…the formation of a “virtual image” that can be viewed in comfort. To obtain the best possible image, the magnifier should be placed directly in front of the eye. The object of interest is then brought toward the eye until a clear image of the object is seen.
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…the formation of a “virtual image” that can be viewed in comfort. To obtain the best possible image, the magnifier should be placed directly in front of the eye. The object of interest is then brought toward the eye until a clear image of the object is seen.
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