Re: Help: rear view mirror optics (fwd)

[Rick Swanson <swansonr@EMAIL.SANDHILLS.CC.NC.US>]

There is a real nice explanation with diagram in Serway and Beichner's
Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders publishing).  It is
Conceptual Example 36.3 on page 1143.  It is probably in other Serway
books as well.

It does not explicitly discuss the "upwards and downwards" issue, but
should help the discussion.

Cheers,

Rick Swanson

Richard E. Swanson, Ph.D.
Dean of Instruction
Physics Professor
Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, NC 28374
swansonr@sandhills.edu (910) 695-3715

> > > Robert.Cohen@PO-BOX.ESU.EDU 04/23/02 05:02PM >>>
I've been unable to find a source that explains both the UPWARDS and
DOWNWARDS dimming.  Can anybody else?

____________________________________________
Robert Cohen; rcohen@po-box.esu.edu; http://www.esu.edu/~bbq
Physics, East Stroudsburg Univ., E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chuck Britton [mailto:britton@NCSSM.EDU]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 8:47 PM
> To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
> Subject: Re: Help: rear view mirror optics (fwd)
>
>
> It is definitely a WEDGE of glass. Touch a pencil tip to the surface
> to gauge the thickness.
>
> BUT - I can use the night-time dimming feature EITHER by sending the
> bright image ABOVE OR BELOW my eyes.
>
> My wife is a good bit shorter than I, and the mirror occasionally
> gets 'readjusted'. Once when I 'flipped' to nighttime dim, I noticed
> that the brights were diverted DOWNWARDS instead of UPWARDS. I THINK
> that this is evidence for the multiple reflection theory (but does
> not negate the front surface effect at all. They BOTH seem to be
> operating)
>
> Check it OUT!