How Do Mirrors Work and Why Can’t We See Ourselves in Curved Ones the Same Way?

Flat mirrors show us as we are, but curved ones make us look funny. Think of a flat mirror like a calm lake, it shows you clearly. A curved mirror is more like a wobbly puddle, making your image stretch or squish depending on the curve. When light hits a flat surface, it bounces back straight. But in a curved mirror, the light bends differently, and that’s why your reflection can look stretched out or squeezed together.