Final answer:
A concave mirror is a spherical mirror with its reflecting surface on the inner side, like the inside of a spoon, while the backside is a convex mirror, curving outward. You can observe these properties by using a spoon to reflect small objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
A concave mirror is a type of spherical mirror with its reflecting surface on the inner side of the sphere. This creates a hollow or "cave-like" shape, hence the term concave. Similarly to how the inside of a spoon reflects, a concave mirror causes light rays that strike it parallel to its axis to converge at one or more points along the axis. An example activity to understand these properties is to use a spoon as a mirror. If you look at the side of a spoon that you eat with, you'll observe the characteristics of a concave mirror. This is because the side of the spoon that holds the food is shaped like the inner surface of a sphere.
On the other hand, the backside of the spoon acts like a convex mirror. This mirror has its reflecting surface curved outward, similar to the exterior of a sphere. Convex mirrors diverge light rays and always form virtual images, which are images that cannot be projected onto a screen.
To observe these effects, you can conduct a simple experiment with a shiny metal spoon. By looking at small objects reflected in the spoon, you will see the different ways a concave and convex mirror affects the perception of such objects. Such practical experiments help in understanding the basic principles of optics and mirror curvatures.