While both devices use an optical system, there are differences between glasses and lenses. A mirror is an instrument based on the principle of reflection and a lens is based on the principle of refraction. These two devices are used in various industries such as photography or astronomy.
Examples
The main differences between glasses and lenses can be due to their construction and function. Mirrors are devices that reflect the light that falls on them. While lenses are the light processor.
One side of the glass has a reflective coating. Lenses are classified in different ways: simple lenses and compound lenses, and curved and convex lenses according to the type of rotating image created by the lens.
What is Mirror?
A mirror is a piece of glass polished on one side so that it reflects the light falling on it. The more you polish or shine, the more the light “bounces” off its surface. One piece is usually covered with a metal assembly, which presents a clearer image. In a mirror, a narrow beam of light striking its surface bounces in one direction, without diverging.
What is Lens?
A lens is a combination of two prisms, sometimes base up or base down. When dealing with the process of refraction, the light beam is the bright coherent or divergent optical field. The lens is simple or compound (combination of multiple simple lenses).
Difference between Mirror and Lens
| Mirror | Lens |
| This works on the principle of reflection | This works on the principle of refraction |
| An ideal mirror reflects 100% of light | An ideal lens refracts 100% of light |
| The uses of mirrors can be seen in houses, automobiles, solar appliances, etc | The uses of lenses can be seen in astronomy and scientific industries, medical and research purposes, etc |
| There are three types of mirrors: plane mirrors, convex mirrors and concave mirrors | There are two types of lenses: convex lenses and convex lenses |
| Mirrors have no focal point (plane mirrors) or only one focal point (spherical mirrors) | Lenses have two focal points. |
