2008 HS Photo Contest Pictures
2008 AAPT High School Physics Photo Contest Click on image to resize 
Honorable Mention
- Contrived
In the picture, a concave spherical mirror is pointed in the general direction of the sun. All of the light rays from the sun come into the mirror from different angles. The light rays are then reflected from the mirror and converge at the focal point. This converging occurs because the properties of a spherical mirror dictate that once reflected, all of the rays go through the focal point. The matchstick is placed at the focus where the rays, and therefore the heat, converge. The heat in turn causes the match to burn and give off smoke. With the aid of the smoke, the “triangle of light” is more easily seen. This “triangle of light” actually bends at the edges because the mirror is spherical and not parabolic.
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