REFRACTION - LENSES

A Lens is a piece of glass having two refracting surfaces

Lenses are of two types – Convex lens and concave lens.

Convex Lenses
Convex Lenses are thick at the centre and taper at the ends.

The diagram shows a section of convex lens

Where,

O → Optical Centre
C → Centre of Curvature
R → Radius of Curvature
F → Principal Focus
f → Focal length

Numerically,
R = 2 f or f = ½ R

Centre of Curvature (C)

The centre of the imaginary glass sphere of which the lens is a part is
called the centre of curvature.

Optical Centre (O):

The Centre of the lens through which a ray of light passes undeviated is
called the optical centre.
Principal Axis:
An imaginary line passing through the optical centre and the centre of
curvature is called the principal axis.

Principal Plane of a lens:

The common chord of the two curved surfaces is called the principal
plane.

Radius of Curvature (C):

The distance from the centre of curvature to the optical centre is called the
radius of curvature.

Principal focus or focal point (F) of a convex lens

Focal length (f)

The distance between the principal focus to the optical centre is called the
focal length
To show the converging behavior of a Convex Lens:

Real Image Virtual Image

1. formed by the actual meeting of the 2. formed by the reproducing the rays of
rays of light light till they meet
2. inverted 2. erect
3. can be obtained on the screen 3.cannot be obtained on the screen
RAY DIAGRAM
Rule for drawing ray diagrams in convex lenses:
1.A ray of light parallel to the principal axis, on passing through the lens passes
through the principal focus.

2. A ray of light passing through the principal focus, on passing through the lens,
travels parallel to the principal axis.

3.A ray of light passing through the optical centre travels undeviated.
Object between F and 2F

Object beyond 2F
Object at 2F

Object between O and F (within the focal length)

Object at F
Object at infinity

NOTE: Rays of light from a distant object are considered to be parallel.

Position of Image: At F
Nature of Image: Real inverted and highly diminished.
Used in: Telescope.

Object at infinity ( when the rays of light are parallel to the principal axis.)
Convex lenses:
Position of Position of Image Nature of Image Used in
Object
Between F and 2F Beyond 2F Real, inverted, Slide
magnified Projector
Beyond 2F Between F and 2F Real, inverted, Photographic
diminished Camera
At F At infinity Real, inverted, highly Search-lights
magnified
At Infinity At F Real, inverted
- Highly diminished Telescope
- diminished to a point Burning Glass
At 2F At 2F Real, inverted, same Erecting lens
size as the object in terrestrial
telescope
Between O & F On the same side Virtual, erect, Magnifying
of the lens of the magnified glass, simple
object telescope,
reading glass
Hand lens