Q: Why is an image in a mirror inverted left to right but not top to bottom?
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A: The mirror does not reverse images from left to right, it reverses them from front to back relative to the front of the mirror. Stand facing a mirror. Point to one side. You and your mirror image are pointing in the same direction. Point to the front. Your mirror image is pointing in the opposite direction to you. Point upwards. You both point in the same direction. Now stand sideways on to the mirror and repeat. You are now pointing in opposite directions when you point sideways. Place the mirror on the floor and stand on it. This time you point in opposite directions when you point upwards and your upside down image points downwards. In all cases the direction reverses only when you point towards or away from ...
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