Book 1, Question 121 · Video
Why Do Mirrors Flip Left and Right? Or Do They?
Mirrors seem to swap left and right, but the page says that is not quite what happens. A mirror bounces light straight back, so it flips front to back and not really left to right.
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do mirrors flip left and right?
The Big Idea
Here's a surprise: a mirror doesn't really flip left and right! It actually flips front to back. Let's find out how it tricks us.
Bounce
Step one: a mirror bounces light straight back. A mirror is super smooth glass, with a shiny metal layer on the back. Light from you hits it and bounces straight back to your eyes, so you see yourself!
Front to Back
Step two: it flips front to back, not really left to right. Point at the mirror. Your reflection points right back at you! Your nose points toward the mirror, but your reflection's nose points the other way. Front and back have swapped.
Same Side
Step three: wave your right hand. Your reflection waves the hand on the same side, right across from yours. Up is still up! We just imagine the reflection is a person who turned around to face us, so it seems like their left hand.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Here you are, waving one hand. Your reflection waves the hand straight across from yours. Only front and back have flipped, like a glove turned inside out!
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Writing looks backward in a mirror, because front and back swapped. Some ambulances have their name written backward on the front, so drivers can read it in their mirrors! Light bounces off a mirror at the same angle that it hits it. The artist Leonardo da Vinci wrote his notes in mirror writing!
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Write a word on paper, in big letters. Hold it up to a mirror. What do you see? Now try writing a word backward, so it reads the right way in the mirror! Which letters look the same in a mirror? Try A, H, O, and T!
Outro
So mirrors don't swap left and right at all. They flip front to back, and our brains do the rest! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!