Final answer:
Real images are formed by the convergence of light rays and can be projected onto a screen, whereas virtual images are formed by the apparent divergence of rays and cannot be projected. You can see and photograph virtual images, but cannot project them onto a screen.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differences Between Real and Virtual Images
Real and virtual images are terms used in optics to describe two types of images that can be formed by lenses and mirrors. A real image is formed when light rays actually converge to form an image. Real images can be projected onto a screen, are formed on the same side of the lens as the incident light, and they can be either inverted or magnified. On the other hand, a virtual image is formed when light rays only appear to diverge from a specific point, creating the illusion of an image originating from a location where the light does not really come from. Virtual images cannot be projected onto a screen, are found on the opposite side of the lens from where the light entered, and they are always upright compared to the object.
Telling Real from Virtual Images
To determine if an image formed by a single lens or mirror is real or virtual, one can look for where the image forms in relation to the lens or mirror. If it's possible to project the image onto a screen and if the image is inverted, it's likely a real image. If no such projection is possible and the image appears to be behind the lens or mirror and is upright, it is a virtual image.
Photographing and Seeing Virtual Images
You can indeed see a virtual image, as the light entering your eyes behaves as if it's emanating from an actual object behind the mirror. Cameras work similarly, so you can photograph a virtual image because the camera's lens focuses the light from the virtual image just as it would with real light from a real object. However, virtual images cannot be projected onto a screen since the light does not actually come from the point where the image appears to be.