The image formed by a plane mirror is :

The image formed by a plane mirror is :

always virtual and erect.
always virtual but erect or inverted upon the size of the object.
never virtual but always erect.
always real and erect.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2022
A plane mirror is a flat reflective surface. The image formed by a plane mirror has specific characteristics:
1. **Virtual:** The image is formed where the light rays appear to diverge from, but do not actually intersect. It cannot be projected onto a screen.
2. **Erect:** The image is upright, meaning it is oriented the same way as the object (top is top, bottom is bottom).
3. **Laterally Inverted:** The image is flipped left-to-right.
4. **Same size:** The size of the image is equal to the size of the object.
5. **Same distance:** The image is located behind the mirror at the same distance as the object is in front of the mirror.

Based on these properties, the image formed by a plane mirror is always virtual and always erect.
Option A states “always virtual and erect,” which matches the known properties.
Option B is incorrect because the image is always erect, not dependent on object size.
Option C is incorrect because the image is always virtual.
Option D is incorrect because the image is always virtual, not real.

– A plane mirror produces a virtual image.
– A plane mirror produces an erect image.
– The image is also laterally inverted and the same size as the object.
Real images are formed when light rays actually converge at a point and can be projected onto a screen (e.g., image formed by a projector lens). Virtual images cannot be projected (e.g., image in a plane mirror or through a magnifying glass). Erect means the image orientation is the same as the object; inverted means it is upside down.