How can we see things in a mirror that are not directly in front of the mirror?

Question

For example, I have a small mirror in my room. Directly across from the mirror is where I stand. In the opposite corner of the room, I have a lamp. How is it that if I look in the mirror, I can see that lamp even though it is not in front of the mirror?

Answer 1

angular reflection...

take physics and geometry, calculus, calc 2, and algerbra 2 then u might understand...

Answer 2

In a plane mirror (flat mirror), a parallel beam of light changes its direction as a whole, while still remaining parallel; the images formed by a plane mirror are virtual images, of the same size as the original object (see mirror image). There are also concave mirrors, where a parallel beam of light becomes a convergent beam, whose rays intersect in the focus of the mirror. Lastly, there are convex mirrors, where a parallel beam becomes divergent, with the rays appearing to diverge from a common intersection "behind" the mirror. Spherical concave and convex mirrors do not focus parallel rays to a single point due to spherical aberration. However, the ideal of focusing to a point is a commonly-used approximation. Parabolic reflectors resolve this, allowing incoming parallel rays (for example, light from a distant star) to be focused to a small spot; almost an ideal point. Parabolic reflectors are not suitable for imaging nearby objects because the light rays are not parallel.

A beam of light reflects off a mirror at an angle of reflection that is equal to its angle of incidence (if the size of a mirror is much larger than the wavelength of light). That is, if the beam of light is shining on a mirror's surface at a 30° angle from vertical, then it reflects from the point of incidence at a 30° angle from vertical in the opposite direction.

Answer 3

The mirror has an angle, so the lamp is within that angle, and it reflect the lamp to you..

http://sharp.bu.edu/~slehar/PhaseConjuga...