Why Do Mirrors Flip Left & Right (but not up & down)?

Go to https://curiositystream.com/minutephysics to check out MinuteBody, and for a free month of CuriosityStream PLUS Nebula!

Support MinutePhysics on Patreon! http://www.patreon.com/minutephysics
Link to Patreon Supporters: http://www.minutephysics.com/supporters/

This video is about why words flip left & right (aka horizontally) in a mirror but not up & down (aka vertically). The answer has to do with specular reflection, mirrors being like windows into another world (alternate universes, just with in and out flipped!), and transparency of the things we write on.

REFERENCES
Specular Reflection
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specular_reflection

PhysicsGirl video about mirrors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBpxhfBlVLU

Fermat’s principle

http://electron6.phys.utk.edu/optics421/modules/m1/Fermat's%20principle.htm

Thomas-Fermi screening
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas%E2%80%93Fermi_screening

MinutePhysics is on twitter - @minutephysics
And facebook - http://facebook.com/minutephysics
And Google+ (does anyone use this any more?) - http://bit.ly/qzEwc6

Minute Physics provides an energetic and entertaining view of old and new problems in physics -- all in a minute!

Created by Henry Reich
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t4dOPxKgrY