The magnification produced by a spherical mirror is -0.5. The image formed by the mirror is:

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (B) real, inverted and diminished.

Detailed Solution:

1. Understanding Magnification: The magnification (mmm) of a mirror is defined as the ratio of the height of the image (hih_ihi​) to the height of the object (h_o):

​$$m= \frac{h_i}{h_o}$$​​

It is also related to the distances:

​$$m=\frac{-v}{u}$$​​

where:

• v = Image distance (distance of the image from the mirror),
• u = Object distance (distance of the object from the mirror).
1. Given Data:
• m=−0.5m .
2. Characteristics of Magnification:
• The negative sign of magnification indicates:
• The image is inverted.
• The image is real because only real images are inverted.
• The absolute value of mmm (∣m∣=0.5) indicates:
• The image is diminished because the magnification is less than 1 (∣m∣<1).
3. Type of Mirror:
• A concave mirror can form a real, inverted, and diminished image when the object is placed beyond the center of curvature (C).
4. Final Characteristics of the Image:
• Nature: Real
• Orientation: Inverted
• Size: Diminished