Reflection in a flat mirror

When you look into a flat mirror you will see yourself reflected in it. This reflection is called your IMAGE.

If the mirror is flat your image will be the same size as you are, big if you are near to the mirror and small if you are far away.

Your image is in colour and the right way up but seems to be swapped over from left to right.

Look at the pictures of the elephant. The one on the left is what you see if you looked at the elephant and the one on the right how its image would look in a flat mirror.





The elephant is really closing his left eye but the image seems to be closing its right eye. Also the letters of its name are backwards.

Ambulances often have their name written on the front backwards. Why do you think this is?