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Standing in front of a flat mirror, how far behind the mirror does your image appear to sit compared with how far you stand in front of it?
ATwice as far behind the mirror as you stand in front
BExactly the same distance behind the mirror
CHalf as far behind the mirror as you stand in front
DThe image distance depends only on the room's lighting
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Exactly the same distance behind the mirror
1. Rays leaving a point on your body strike the flat mirror and reflect according to the law of reflection.
2. Following the law through shows that your image sits exactly the same distance behind the mirror as you stand in front of it.
3. Doubling or halving that distance would require a curved mirror, not a flat one.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 16 "Mirrors and Lenses", section 16.1 Reflection_
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