The correct option is (a).
Explanation
The the optical property of lateral inversion exhibited by plane mirrors. This phenomenon describes the reversal of an image along the vertical axis, where the left side of the object appears as the right side of the image, and vice versa.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: The word 'AMBULANCE' is painted in a laterally inverted (reversed) manner on the front of emergency vehicles. When a driver in a vehicle ahead views this text through their rear-view mirror (which acts as a plane or convex mirror), the mirror laterally inverts the image again. This double inversion restores the text to its original orientation, allowing the driver to read it correctly and yield the right of way.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: Plane mirrors produce lateral inversion (left-right reversal), not vertical inversion. Vertical inversion implies that the top of the object appears at the bottom of the image (upside down), which is not a characteristic of reflection by a plane mirror held vertically.
Key Takeaway:
Plane mirrors form images that are erect and laterally inverted. The practice of writing 'AMBULANCE' in reverse utilizes this property to ensure legibility in the rear-view mirrors of other vehicles.