Concept 1 of 8
Mirror Images: Left Becomes Right
Today's big idea
A mirror swaps left and right
Top stays top; sides switch.
How it works
👀 What's going on?
Hold your right hand up to a mirror and the reflection lifts its left. A mirror does not turn things upside down — it swaps left and right, and that one rule tells you exactly what a mirror image looks like.
💡 Here's the trick
Look at the picture above and imagine a mirror standing on its right side. In the reflection everything left becomes right and right becomes left, but the top stays the top and the bottom stays the bottom.
- 1.Find a part of the picture that is on one side (like a flag on the right).
- 2.In a mirror image that part jumps to the other side.
- 3.Check the top and bottom stay exactly where they were.
✍️ Try it
A flag has its pole on the left and the cloth pointing right, near the top. What does its mirror image look like? In the mirror the pole moves to the right and the cloth points left, still near the top. Left and right swapped; up and down did not.
⚠️ Watch out
A mirror image is not upside down. If the top and bottom flip, that is a water image, not a mirror. A mirror only swaps sides.
See it in action
⚡ Time to play!
A mirror flips a picture left ↔ right. Flip the copy to make its mirror image, then tap Done.
Quick check
✅ VERIFICATION
A flag points to the RIGHT. In a mirror, which way does it point?
⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.
Keep going!
Up next: Water Images
Sides stay; up and down switch.