Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Home And Garden
  4. / Interior Design
  5. / Mirrors And Decorative Items

by Rob Shaw on December 12th, 2005

Rob Shaw

Question

Help answer this question below.

Why are reflections in a mirror reversed horizontally but not flipped vertically?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. Showing one answer.

  • by Quirkie on January 12th, 2006

    Quirkie

    The reflection in the mirror isn't reversed horizontally OR vertically!
    It's reversed front to back, at right angles to the mirror.

    Assume you are facing a mirror which is to the north of you.
    If you point east, your reflection points east.
    If you pointed with your easterly (right) hand, your reflection points with its easterly hand.
    Your head is at the top, your feet at the bottom.
    Your west side stays your west side.

    But point north, and your reflection points south.
    Your reflection has reversed north and south but left the other directions the same. That's front and back.

    So when you wave your right hand, your reflection is still waving the right hand but we confuse it with a left hand because the reflection looks like a person whose left hand is moving. We probably wouldn't make this mistake if our bodies were not almost symmetrical

    Comments

    • Quirkie, where you go, confusion is dissapated in your wake. Ok, forget that, I like your answers.

      Tedkzn

      by Tedkzn on November 19th, 2006

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading Why are reflections in a mirror reversed horizontally but not flipped vertically?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

Answerbag

a Demand Media company