General Physics 2
Refraction in Lenses
Lenses
- A spherical lens is a
piece of glass or
transparent material
that has at least one
spherical surface.
Refraction
- is the bending of light
as it passes from one
transparent substance
into another.
Concave vs. Convex
Concave
- A concave lens is
thinner in the middle
and thicker at the
edges.
- A diverging lens
(CONCAVE) takes
light rays and spreads
them outward.
Convex
- A convex lens is
thicker in the middle
and thinner at the
edges.
- A converging lens
(CONVEX) takes light
rays and bring them to
a point.
Step-by-step Method
Convex Lens
1. Pick a point on the top
of the object and draw
three incident rays
traveling towards the
lens.
2. Pick a point on the top
of the object and draw
three incident rays
traveling towards the
lens.
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2.3 Any incident ray

traveling through the focal
point on the way to the
lens will
refract through the lens
and travel parallel to
the principal axis.

2.1 Any incident ray

traveling parallel to
the principal axis
of a converging
lens will refract
through the lens
and travel through
the focal point on
the opposite side
of the lens. 2 Mark the image of the top
of the object.

2.2 An incident ray that

passes through the
center of the lens will Legend:
in effect continue in the  L = between F and O =
same direction that it 2F inverted
had when it entered  S = smaller
the lens.  T = real
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 O = inverted
 S = larger
 T = real

Legend: Legend:
 L = at 2F  No image formed
 O = inverted
 S = same size
 T = real

Legend:
 L = in front of the lens
 O = upright
 S = larger
Legend:  T = virtual
 L = beyond 2F
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three incident rays

traveling towards the
lens.

2. Once these incident

rays strike the lens,
refract them according
to the three rules of
refraction for double
concave lenses.

2.1 The ray that

traveled parallel to
the principal axis
on the way to the
lens will refract
and travel in a
direction such that
its extension
passes through
the focal point on
the object's side of
the lens.
Concave Lens
1. Pick a point on the top
of the object and draw
 General Physics 2

Legend:
2.2 The ray that  L = in front of the lens
travels towards the  O = upright
focal point will  S = smaller
refract through the  T = virtual
lens and travel
parallel to the
principal axis.

Lens equation

- The lens equation

expresses the
2.3 The ray that quantitative
traveled to the relationship between
exact center of the the object distance
lens will continue (do), the image
to travel in the distance (di), and the
same direction. focal length (f).

3. Locate and mark the

image of the top of the
object. Magnification equation
 General Physics 2

- The magnification - hi is + if the image is an

equation relates the upright image (and
ratio of the image therefore, also virtual)
distance and object
distance to the ratio of
the image height (hi)
- hi is - if the image an
and object height (ho). inverted image (and
therefore, also real).

Word Problems:

Word problem no. 1

The +/- Conventions
A 4.00-cm tall light
bulb is placed a distance of
45.7 cm from a double convex
lens having a focal length of
15.2 cm. Determine the image
distance and the image size.

- f is + if the lens is a
double convex lens
(converging lens).

- f is - if the lens is a
double concave
lens (diverging lens)

- di is + if the image is a
real image and
located on the opposite
side of the lens.

- di is - if the image is a
virtual image
and located on the
object's side of the
lens.
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Word problem no. 3

A 10-cm high object is
placed 30 cm from a 15-cm
focal length converging lens.
Determine the distance,
magnification, height and type
Word problem no. 2 of the image.
A 5 cm. high object is
placed 5 cm from a 15cm focal
length converging lens.
Determine the distance,
magnification, height and type
of the image.

Word problem no. 4

A 5 cm. high object is placed
15 cm from a 30-cm focal
length diverging lens.
Determine the distance,
magnification, height and type
of the
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image.