Consider an incoming ray which is parallel to the principal axis which hits a concave mirror at $X$. The normal to this mirror at $X$ passes through the centre of curvature of the mirror $C$. $\frac {h}{CP'}= \tan \alpha, \, \frac {h}{FP'}= \tan 2\alpha, \, $ For small $\alpha$ ie incoming ray close to the principal axis $CP' \approx CP,\, FP' \approx FP,\, \tan \alpha \approx \alpha,\, \tan 2\alpha \approx 2\alpha$ where $P$ is the pole of the mirror. $\Rightarrow CP \approx 2 FP$ $CP$ is a property of the mirror and $FP$, the focal length of the mirror, is thus (approximately) independent of the angle $\alpha$ as long as $\alpha$ is small. If $\alpha$ is not small then a mirror defect called spherical aberration occurs as shown below. (On Desmos) You often see this whilst having a drink with the bright line being called a caustic curve. |