Your Backwards Twin
The plane mirror image and its flipped writing
What this lesson covers
Why it matters
Your mirror twin matches your height, copies your every move with zero delay — and still can't read a book properly. Every word comes out backwards.
Predict first
You stand 1 m from a mirror. Your image stands…
The image sits as far behind as you stand in front — step closer and it steps closer too, matching you metre for metre.
- 1 m BEHIND the mirror — always your distance, matched — correct
- on the mirror's surface
- 2 m behind
What you do
Walk the letter R toward the mirror, watch the twin match your distance — then say exactly HOW it's flipped.
Check yourself
AMBULANCE is written mirror-flipped on the bonnet so that…
The mirror flips it back to normal — two flips make a read.
Your plane-mirror image is…
Erect and life-size — only left and right trade places (lateral inversion).
Can your mirror image be caught on a paper screen held behind the mirror?
The rays only APPEAR to come from behind — there's nothing there to project.
- drivers ahead read it correctly in their rear-view mirror — correct
- it looks stylish
- only doctors can read it
- upright, same size, left-right flipped — correct
- upside down
- smaller than you
- No — it's virtual; no light actually goes behind the mirror — correct
- Yes, with a bright enough torch
- Only at night