Practice question
Question
What is the shape of the wavefront reflected by a plane mirror when a spherical wave is incident on it?
Explanation
**Convex lens focusing** plane wave into point because lens introduces phase delay proportional to thickness, converting plane wavefront to spherical converging to focal point, property ensures rays parallel to axis meet at focus, spherical aberration minimized for paraxial rays, lensmaker's formula determines focal length. A spherical wavefront incident on a plane mirror reflects as a spherical wavefront, diverging from the mirror’s virtual focus. Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation gives Spherical, illustrating interference, diffraction and polarization principles.
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