4 Best Free Convex Mirror Simulation Software For Windows

Here is a list of best free convex mirror simulation software for Windows. Convex mirror is a type of curved mirror whose reflective surface is bulged towards the light. The primary property of this mirror is to show a wide field range to its viewer. Due to this property, many vehicles (cars, trucks, bikes, etc.) use this type of mirror as their side mirrors. If you want to virtually simulate the working of a convex mirror, then you can check out these simulation software.

Through most of these software, users can manually design a convex mirror simulation setup. To do that, users get virtual mirrors, reflectors, blockers, single light beam, multiple light beams, and more. By manually arranging all the elements over the simulation area users can create and view a convex mirror simulation. Although, in some software, users need to input numerical values of subject distance, object size, image distance, etc., to make a simulation. According to the input values, users can view a simulation along with various output values like convex mirror focal length, magnification, etc. The process to create the simulation is quite simple in all these software.

These software also offer additional tools through which users can create concave mirror, convex lens, and plane mirror simulations. Go through the list to know more about these software.

My Favorite Convex Mirror Simulation Software For Windows:

Ray Optics Simulation is my favorite software because it allows users to manually create and run a convex mirror simulation. Plus, it also offers measuring tools to measure the light source distance and angle of reflection.

You can also check out lists of best free Lighting Simulation, Concave Mirror Simulation, and Optics Simulation for Windows.

Ray Optics Simulation

Ray Optics Simulation is a free open source convex mirror simulation software for Windows. To run this software, users need a web browser as it is based on HTML. Using this software, users can manually create a convex mirror system with light beams, blockers, and glasses of various types. I also like its ability to show changes in the simulation in real-time. Plus, the process to make a convex mirror simulation is also quite simple in this software. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Mirrors: It is the primary tool that contains three types of mirrors namely Segment, Circular Arc, and Ideal Curved. The circular arc mirror acts as a convex mirror that users can add over the simulation area and specify its size and position.
• Beams: After positioning a convex mirror, users can add Ray (to direct a single light beam towards the convex mirror) or Beam (to direct multiple light beams towards the convex mirror). According to the position of light beams over the convex mirror, users can simulate the correct direction of reflected beams.
• View: It is another handy tool through which users can change the observer location, enable disable extended rays, and view real & virtual objects.
• Save: Use it to save the current simulation in the form of a JSON file.

Additional Features:

• This software offers additional measuring tools through which users can measure the beam distance and angle of beams.

Final Thoughts:

It is one of the best free convex mirror simulation software that allows users to manually create and run the convex mirror simulation.

OpticalRayTracer

OpticalRayTracer is a free convex mirror simulation software for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh. This software is mainly designed to analyze systems consisting of lenses and mirrors. By using the convex lens system with optical rays, users can create a convex mirror simulation. In this software, users can manually design various lens and mirrors. Plus, it also lets users specify the properties of lenses according to their requirements. To design and configure convex mirror simulation, it offers two sections namely Design and Configure. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Design: It is the primary section using which users can add multiple lenses and mirrors over the simulation area. To do that, it offers tools namely create new lens and create new reflectors. After that, users can manually specify mirror radius, edge thickness, center thickness, sphere radius, curvature glass type (spherical, parabolic, hyperbolic, etc.), and more.
• Configure: It offers multiple tools to configure the light beam properties such as light beam count, maximum interaction, beam offset angle, X source plane, interlens epsilon, etc. Besides this, it also lets users change the color of the beam, color of the beam and lens interaction, etc. According to the lens designing and light beam properties, this software creates a convex mirror simulation that users can view on its interface.
• Table: It generates a detailed report highlighting the values of reflection and refraction beam angle, magnitude, wavelength, surface normal angle, and more.

Additional Feature:

• Copy Data: Use it to copy all the simulation results in the form of Text and HTML formats.

Final Thoughts:

It is another good convex mirror simulation software through which users can easily design and run a convex mirror simulation.

Thick Lens Model

Thick Lens Model is another free open source convex mirror software for Windows. It is based on Java and needs a system with Java to run. Using this software, users cannot only create a convex mirror simulation but also create a concave mirror, plain mirror, convex lens, and concave lens simulations. To create simulation, it provides simple sliders to adjust mirror shape, lens shape, mirror width, light beam density, and more. In general, it is one of the simplest software to create convex mirror simulation. Now, check out the primary features of this software.

Main Features:

• Left Curvature Slider: It is basically a convex mirror creation slider as it allows users to manually specify the outer curve they want in their convex mirror.
• Width Slider: It is another handy slider through which users can specify the width of both mirrors and lenses.
• Mirror Height Slider: Using it, users can increase or decrease the height of the convex mirror.
• Light Beam Spread: Through this tool, users can specify how dense the light beam spread towards the convex mirror.
• Real-Time Changes: It is another important property of this software as it shows all the changes in light beam direction in real-time.

Additional Features:

• Mirror Checkbox: By using this checkbox users can switch between lens and mirror.
• Surface Normals: By enabling this users can view the surface’s normal direction over the convex mirror.

Final Thoughts:

It is one of the simplest convex mirror simulation software that anyone can use without much hassle.

Student Physics Optics

Student Physics Optics is a free convex mirror simulation app for Windows. This app is mainly developed to help students learn about geometrical optics calculations consisting of mirrors and lenses. To do that, it offers multiple sections such as Reflection and Refraction, Lens-display, Mirrors, and Lens-Focus. To create a convex mirror simulation, users need to use its Mirrors section. This section further has two sub-sections namely Concave and Convex mirrors. As you need to build a convex mirror simulation, thus use its Convex Mirror section. Let’s take a brief look at the primary features of this app.

Main Features:

• Convex Mirror: It is the main simulation area using which users can simulate a convex mirror. To do that, users need to provide subject distance, object size, and image distance values. According to the input values, it shows an appropriate convex mirror simulation along with output values such as magnification, focal length, etc. A mathematical solution to calculate output values is also provided by it. If you don’t want to manually enter input values, then you can use its Demo Values option that automatically fills input values and creates a convex mirror simulation.

Additional Features:

• Refraction and Reflection: Using this section, users can simulate mirror reflection and lens refraction.
• Lens-display: It uses the lensmaker’s equation to simulate converging and diverging lenses.
• Lens Focus: It is another handy tool that allows users to simulate focal length for various lenses such as Biconvex, Biconcave, Plano Convex, etc.

Final Thoughts:

It is another capable convex mirror simulation app that can also be used to find out the focal length, magnification, image distance, etc., values.