Final answer:
Convex mirrors are used for security due to their ability to produce smaller, upright images, allowing for a wider viewing area.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of mirror that provides images of large areas and is used for security purposes is a convex mirror. These mirrors produce smaller, upright images, allowing a larger area to be reflected and monitored. The design of these mirrors means that instead of a life-size reflection, as seen in a flat mirror, convex mirrors give a panoramic view, aiding in security surveillance by covering more space in the reflected image.
Security mirrors are commonly used in stores, parking garages, and other areas where wide visibility is crucial. The functioning of convex mirrors can be explained by the law of reflection, demonstrating how rays of light are reflected off the mirror's surface to form a virtual image behind the mirror, and why that image appears smaller than the actual object. This is an example of an everyday application of curved mirrors, which are similar to lenses in their ability to form various types of images.