Flat mirrors, single, double and multiple reflections

Reflection in mirror

What happens when you look at a mirror?

If you hold your left hand in front of a mirror, with the palm facing the mirror the image that you see in the mirror looks like a (right) hand. In the same way, the reflection of a right hand looks like a left hand. Try it out.

Now look at the outline of a hand; it only shows the shape. Is it a right hand or a left hand? Can you tell? It could be the front (palm) of a right hand. It could be the back of a left hand. It could be the outline of a print of a left hand. If you were told that it is the palm of a hand then you would know that it is a (right) hand.

The print of a left hand actually looks like the palm of a (right) hand. The reflection of a left hand looks like a right hand.

Some gloves can fit a left hand or a right hand. Other gloves are made for particular hands. If you get a right-hand glove and place it in front of a mirror the reflection looks like a (left) hand glove.