If you are here reading this article, we must assume that you too are a curious being like us and are wanting to understand the differences between True Mirror vs. Regular Mirror and its indeed justified with the increasing popularity of True Mirrors these days.
So, let’s break it down for you by referencing these “easy-to-understand” diagrams and highlighting the key differences between True Mirrors and Regular Mirrors, while also explaining the fundamental mechanism involved in these reflective patterns.
Rushing somewhere and don’t have enough time? Happens all the time, so here’s this PDF for you to quickly skim through the differences, however, if you are at leisure today, let’s dive deep into this underrated, phenomenal concept of “Reflections”, and figure out how on earth do True Mirrors show us how others see us in real lives (non reversing mirror), despite using the same materials.
So, grab some coffee so you don’t fall asleep midway through this article 🙂 as we unfold the key differences between True Mirror Vs. Regular Mirror.
To get a strong grasp of the subject, it’s important to understand how a regular mirror works and why mirrors are not merely a regular utility product but an art of craftsmanship. So, let’s start by explaining the making of a mirror:
How Do Regular Mirrors Work?
- The Making of a Regular Mirror
- Understanding Light, Photons, and Rays
- Reflection – An Intriguing Marvel
The Making of a Regular Mirror
Mirrors are made with extreme care and meticulosity in every step of its creation, be it the initial materials’ procurement or those precise construction techniques that require 100% accuracy.
Yes, we mean literal 100% accuracy.
A tiny miss can cause the end result to be completely different than the anticipated outcome.
The base material of a mirror is typically a sheet of glass, chosen selectively for its optical clarity and smoothness. Then, a thin coating of reflective material is applied to the back surface to transform the glass into a mirror.
Now, this reflective coating is commonly made of aluminum or silver, and is the sole reason for the mirrors to reflect light.
Hang tight as we dive into understanding light and how incredible this process actually is (but seldom spoken about or even appreciated).
Understanding Light, Photons, and Rays
Are you aware of the “Law of Reflection”? Assuming not, let us anyway talk about it given that we’d like to show off a bit about being Masters in Physics 😀Just kidding…
Law of Reflection – Definition
When light rays hit a smooth surface, the angle of incidence is always equal to the angle of reflection.
Let’s first understand the behavior of light and how it impacts the subject in question. As you may have already heard – Light is composed of tiny particles called photons that carry energy.
When a light source emits photons, they travel through space in the form of rays. Now, when these rays encounter a mirror, they are referred to as incident rays (refer to Diagram 1 below). Per the Law of Reflection, the angle at which the incident rays strike the mirror is known as the angle of incidence (Purple arrow in the Diagram).
Reflection – An Intriguing Marvel
The real and the ultimate magic of mirrors lies in the phenomenon of reflection.
When incident rays reach the mirror’s surface, they interact with the atoms and molecules of the mirror’s material. This interaction causes the rays to bounce off the mirror’s smooth surface in an organized manner, forming what are known as reflective(d) rays.
The angle at which the reflective rays bounce off the mirror is called the angle of reflection (Orange arrow in the Diagram).
So, now that we know that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection per the Law of Reflection, the next time you look at a mirror, bring this article up in your mind and play around with the mirror from different angles.
The most intriguing aspect of mirrors is the reversal of images, wouldn’t you agree?
When we stand in front of a mirror, the reflected image we see appears flipped horizontally (refer to Diagram 2 below). This reversal occurs due to the way in which light rays interact with the mirror’s surface. As the reflective rays bounce off the mirror, they change direction, resulting in a mirrored image that appears reversed. It is worth mentioning that this reversal is only horizontal, meaning left and right are interchanged, while up and down remain the same.
Was that too complex? If yes, God bless you 🙂 Just kidding!
True Mirror
Now, get ready as we turn the chapter onto True Mirror (the mirror that’s been discussed a lot in 2023).
True Mirrors (Non-Reversing Mirrors) are truly a dream come true. Imagine how elated you’d feel when you get to see yourself the way your friends, family, and colleagues have always been seeing you, however, even if you haven’t got a chance to try a True Mirror near you, and have only settled for a regular mirror so far, don’t worry!
We’ve brought you the True Mirror right where you are, right this moment, for FREE! Simply click here to check yourself out in MyTrueMirror’s True Mirror App. You can access the True Mirror with a single click without any download or signup. Literally a click on the label “True Mirror” is all you need.
Now, without any further yapping, let us start!
- Understanding Light Rays of True Mirror
- True Mirror Reflection
Understanding Light Rays of True Mirror
The unique design of the True Mirror involves a strategic arrangement of two mirrors at a 90-degree angle. (Refer to Diagrams 3 and 4 below while reading this section).
Now, as the light rays from your face hit the first mirror, it reflects those rays of light by reversing them (as a normal mirror would when an object faces the mirror), redirecting them towards the second mirror.
The second mirror plays a crucial role in this process as it receives the reflected light (reversed reflection) from the first mirror and redirects it back towards you. However, it does this while effectively undoing the initial reversal caused by the first mirror because it is simply reversing an “already reversed image” by the first mirror. As a result, the image you see in the true mirror accurately represents how others see you, without any left-right reversal.
This careful manipulation and redirection of the light rays is only possible because of the precise alignment of the two mirrors. Simply incredible, right?
It’s worth noting that the angle between the two mirrors is of utmost importance. If the angle deviates from perfection, it can lead to distortions in the reflected image, compromising the mirror’s ability to represent reality (show us how we really look).
True Mirror Reflection
When we stand in front of a True Mirror, the reflected image we see closely resembles how others see us in real life. Our left side remains on the left side, and our right side remains on the right side. This representation is what distinguishes the True Mirror from conventional mirrors because of the redirection of light rays that we learned above.
The diagram below demonstrates how the light travels through the surface of both mirrors and returns to the Observer.
The craftsmanship involved in aligning the mirrors with utmost accuracy is crucial to achieving the desired effect which is why, these mirrors are not as widely available as their counterparts, the Regular Mirrors.
Key Differences/Takeaways – True Mirror Vs. Regular Mirror
So, the following are some of the key differences as takeaways for you:
| Comparison Metric | Regular Mirror | True Mirror |
|---|---|---|
| Image Reversal | When you look in a regular mirror, your image is reversed horizontally. This means that your left side is mirrored to your right side, and vice versa. | True mirrors do not reverse the image, so you can see yourself as others see you. If you write some text on a paper and face it towards the mirror, the letters can be read without any reversal. |
| Alignment Requirements | Regular mirrors do not have as strict alignment requirements. | The alignment requirements for true mirrors are very precise. The two mirrors must be perfectly aligned in order to create a non-reversed image. |
| Availability | Regular mirrors are more common because they are easier to make and do not require as precise alignment. | True mirrors are not as common as regular mirrors. This is because they are more difficult to make and require more precise alignment. |
| Uses | Regular mirrors are typically used for everyday purposes, such as checking your appearance or applying makeup. | True mirrors can be used for a variety of purposes, including seeing yourself as others see you, creating three-dimensional images, and artistic purposes. |
Now that you’ve understood the concept thoroughly, dont forget to see yourself as others see you – Our Free True Mirror and Real Mirror Online!