Final answer:
A real image is created by the convergence of light rays, while a virtual image appears to diverge from a point behind the mirror. Virtual images can be seen and photographed but cannot be projected onto a screen without additional optics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differences Between Real and Virtual Images
Understanding the behavior of mirrors and the images they form is a fundamental concept in physics. A real image is formed when light rays converge at a point after reflecting off a mirror. In contrast, a virtual image appears to be behind the mirror where the light rays do not actually converge but rather appear to diverge from a point. To determine if an image is real or virtual, one can use ray diagrams and look at the convergence of light rays. Real images can be projected onto a screen as they involve actual light convergence, while virtual images, such as those seen in a flat mirror, cannot be projected on a screen because they do not involve actual light meeting at a point.
Visualization and Photography of Virtual Images
You can definitely see a virtual image, as it is the case when you look at yourself in a mirror. Interestingly, you can also photograph a virtual image. A camera can focus on light rays whether they come from a real object or from a virtual image reflected in a mirror. However, projecting a virtual image onto a screen requires additional lenses or mirrors because, in their original form, virtual images are not formed by light rays that converge in real space.