Name the type of mirror used in the following situations :
(a) Head lights of a car.
(b) Side rear view mirror of a vehicle.
(c) Solar furnace.
Support your answer with reason.

Explanation

(a) A soncave mirror is used in the headlights of a car. This is because when, a lighted bulb is placed at the focus of the concave reflector, then the concave reflector produces a powerful beam of parallel light rays. This beam of light helps us to see things up to a considerable distance in the darkness of night.
(b) A convex mirror is used a side-view mirror (or rear-view mirror) in a vehicle. This is because (i) a convex mirror always produces an erect image of the objects, and (ii) the image formed in a convex mirror is highly diminished due to which a convex mirror gives a wide field of view (of the traffic behind).
( c) A coincave mirror is used in a solar furnace. This is because when the solar furnace is placed at the focus of a large concave refletor, then the conceve reflector converges and focuses the sun's heat rays on the furnace due to which the solar furnace gets very hot.