| Principal Focus of the Concave Mirror | Principal Focus of the Convex Mirror |
| (i) Incident rays which are parallel to the principal axis of a concave mirror, after reflection from the mirror, meet at a particular point in front of the mirror on the principal axis. This point (F) is called the principal focus of the concave mirror. | (i) Incident rays parallel to the principal axis, after reflection, appear to come from a particular point behind the mirror lying along the principal axis. This point is called the principal focus of the convex mirror. |
| (ii) It is formed in front of the mirror. | (ii) It is formed behind the mirror. |
| (iii) Focus of concave mirror is real. | (iii) Focus of convex mirror is virtual. |
