The correct option is **B. The image is virtual and laterally inverted.** ### Detailed Explanation: 1. **Understanding Image Formation by Plane Mirrors:** - A plane mirror is a flat reflective surface. When light rays from an object strike the mirror, they reflect off the surface according to the law of reflection, which states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. - The image formed by a plane mirror is a result of these reflected rays appearing to diverge from a point behind the mirror. 2. **Characteristics of the Image:** - **Virtual Image:** The image formed by a plane mirror is virtual. This means that the light rays do not actually converge at the location of the image; instead, they only appear to come from that point. You cannot project a virtual image onto a screen because the light does not actually pass through the image location. - **Lateral Inversion:** The image is laterally inverted, meaning that the left and right sides are reversed. For example, if you raise your right hand in front of a mirror, the image will appear to raise its left hand. 3. **Why Option B is Correct:** - The properties of being virtual and laterally inverted are fundamental characteristics of images formed by plane mirrors. This is consistent across all plane mirrors regardless of the size or distance of the object from the mirror. ### Why the Other Options are Incorrect: - **Option A: The image is always larger than the object.** - This statement is incorrect because the size of the image formed by a plane mirror is the same as the size of the object. The image is neither larger nor smaller; it is a one-to-one representation of the object. - **Option C: The image is real and can be projected onto a screen.** - This option is incorrect because, as mentioned earlier, the image formed by a plane mirror is virtual. Real images are formed when light rays converge and can be projected onto a screen, which does not happen with plane mirrors. - **Option D: The image is always located behind the object.** - This statement is misleading. While the image appears to be behind the mirror, it is not necessarily "behind the object" in a spatial sense. The image is located behind the mirror at the same distance as the object is in front of the mirror, but it is not behind the object itself. ### Summary of Key Points: - The image formed by a plane mirror is **virtual** and cannot be projected onto a screen. - The image is **laterally inverted**, meaning left and right are reversed. - The size of the image is **equal** to the size of the object, not larger or smaller. - The image appears to be located **behind the mirror**, not behind the object. This understanding of plane mirrors is crucial for grasping the principles of optics and image formation in physics.