Final answer:
When we see ourselves in a mirror, our image appears to be behind the mirror. This is due to the law of reflection. Mirror images can be photographed and videotaped, and the precise manner in which images are formed by mirrors will be explained later.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we see ourselves in a mirror, it appears that our image is actually behind the mirror. We see the light coming from a direction determined by the law of reflection. The angles are such that our image is exactly the same distance behind the mirror as we stand away from the mirror.
If the mirror is on the wall of a room, the images in it are all behind the mirror, which can make the room seem bigger. Mirror images can be photographed and videotaped by instruments and look just as they do with our eyes (optical instruments themselves).
The precise manner in which images are formed by mirrors and lenses will be treated in later sections of this chapter.