Name: Cunanan, Vivian Allyssa R.

Course/ Section: BSED SCIENCE 3A

Mirrors and Lenses

I. Introduction
Lenses refract light to create either virtual or real images. According to Georgia State
University, a virtual image is created when the primary ray paths intersect when projected
from the direction behind the lens. A real image is created where the light first converges.
Depending on the position of the object relative to the mirror, the mirror will reflect light
and create an image like a lens. Convex lenses are thicker in the center than at the edges.
The center of the lens is the thickest, so light passing through the lens converges. Parallel
rays converge behind the lens. The appearance of an image in a convex lens is determined
by the distance and position of the inspection object. When an object is within the focal
length, it appears as a "virtual image" - right side up and larger than the real object. Out-
of-focus images appear upside down and may be smaller, larger, or the same size as the
original image. Concave lenses are thicker at the edges and thinner in the center. They
push the light rays away from the focal point and produce only a virtual or smaller image.
A convex mirror works like a concave lens. Bend the light from the center like the outer
part of the bowl. This type of mirror only creates a smaller virtual image. A concave
mirror works like a convex lens. It bends the light farther in the center, like the inside of a
bowl. How the image appears depends on how close the object is to the mirror. At certain
distances, objects appear virtual, while elsewhere the image appears larger, inverted,
realistic, or upright.

II. Materials and Method

We used: https://ophysics.com/l9.html as alternative to SWF applets.

Run this lab simulator and move the object by its top with the mouse to the right and
to the left, changing do and di, as well as the type of the image (real, virtual), as shown in
the Figures below. Measure the distances, as well as the object and image heights, by a
plastic ruler on the screen. Alternatively, you can use Screen ruler from
https://sourceforge.net/projects/screenruler/ that works at least on Windows.

Use the data below to perform your experiment:

PART A: CONCAVE MIRROR

i. 1.5 f < do < 2f
ii. 2f < do
iii. do < ½ f
PART B: CONVEX MIRROR
i. do = ½ |f|
ii. do = |f|

PART C: CONVERGING LENS

 i. do = f
ii. f < do < 2f
iii. f > do
PART D: DIVERGING LENS
i. do >|f|
ii. do < |f|

In each case, calculate the focal distance using the formula:

𝑑𝑜𝑑𝑖
𝑓 =𝑑𝑜 + 𝑑𝑖

that follows from the mirror-lens equation above and calculate the magnification using the
definition for the magnification above.

III. Results and Discussion

PAW do e di aho d hi o f (cm) p tm=hi/ e -d 𝒇̅ (c s o% Err m e

RT (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) ho di/do m)
A
i 2 cm 8.2 cm 3.1 cm 6.2 cm 1.60 cm 2 cm -4.1 2.71 cm
ii 4.1 cm 1.1 cm 3.0 cm 1.5 cm 0.86 cm 0.5 cm -0.26 cm 1.54 cm
iii 4.1 cm 9.8 cm 2.9 cm 4.4 cm 2.89 cm 1.51 cm -2.39 cm 3.31 cm
PA do di ho hi f (cm) m=hi/ 𝑓̅ (c
RT (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) ho m)
B
i 2.2 cm 2.2 cm 1.7 cm 1.6 cm 1.1 cm 1.0 cm -1 cm 1.27 cm
ii 5.3 cm 1.9 cm 1.9 cm 1.0 cm 1.39 cm 0.52 cm -0.35 cm 1.66 cm
PA do di ho hi f (cm) m=hi/ 𝑓̅ (c
RT (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) ho m)
C
i 7 cm 9 cm 1 cm 2 cm 3.93 cm 2 cm -1.28 cm 3.37 cm
ii 14.8 cm 3.6 cm 4.4 cm 3.5 cm 2.89 cm 0.79 cm -0.24 cm 4.24 cm
iii 9.1 cm 10.3 cm 2.2 cm 3.3 cm 4.83 cm 1.5 cm -1.13 cm 4.3 cm
PA do di ho hi f (cm) m=hi/ 𝑓̅ (c
RT (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) ho m)
D
i 2.3 cm 3.1 cm 3.4 cm 2.2 cm 1.32 cm 0.64 cm -1.34 cm 1.66 cm
ii 2.3 cm 1.9 cm 3.0 cm 1.0 cm 1.04 cm 0.33 cm -0.82 cm 1.25 cm
and entered the collected data into this table. Part A.I states that objects have a distance greater than 1.5 f
and less than 2 f. I think the focal point is 4. Multiplying by 1.5f gives 6, multiplying by 2f gives 8. We
assumed an object-to-focus distance of 7 cm. I put the data on the virtual mirror and measured it. Then I
entered the measurements into this table and proceeded to solve. This flow continues at the end of this
experiment.

ANALYSIS
1) Complete the data table by calculating the focal lengths, f (cm), as well as m=hi/ho and -di/do. For the
latter two quantities, you should obtain approximately the same value, according to the formula
above. You must show your work for Parts A & C and magnification, m, from your experimental
data.
(see in the table above)

2) Calculate the experimental average (mean), 𝒇̅ (cm) for each part of the experiment and then
calculate the respective errors for each case as a % deviation from the average value.
(see in the table above)

3) For each of the Parts A-D, state what position(s) of the object leads to the formation of a virtual
image (i.e. located behind the mirror or the same side of the lens as the object, which is also the left
side of the mirror/lens for all of the simulations we are using).

A. Concave Mirror
I. (same side of the mirror)
II. (same side of the mirror)
III. (located behind the mirror)

B. Convex Mirror
I. (located behind the mirror)
II. (located behind the mirror)

C. Converging Lens
I. (same side of the mirror)
II. (located behind the mirror)
III. (same side of the mirror)

D. Diverging Lens
I. (same side of the lens)
II. (same side of the lens)

4) Are the images magnified or diminished for all of the virtual cases stated in your answer to the
previous question?

A. Concave Mirror
I. Magnified
II. Diminished
III. Magnified

B. Convex Mirror
I. Diminished
 II. Diminished

B. Converging Lens
I. Magnified
II. Diminished
III. Magnified
D.
I. Diminished
II. Diminished

5) Observe what happens when you move the object further and further away from the converging lens
and the concave mirror. Where does the image move towards?
As you move the object away from the concave mirror, the image moves closer to the mirror
and becomes smaller. Same result as converging lens.

6) State what kind of lens or mirror is used, with the respective positions (relative to the focal
point) of the object and the image, for each of the following cases:
a) A dentist’s mirror – Concave Mirrors, the concave mirrors magnify the object's reflection.
b) Rearview mirror of a car – Convex Mirror shrinks and reflects images to make them appear
wider. It also covers more ground and gives a clear view of who is behind
c) A document magnifier –Convex lens, it produces magnified image of the object.
d) A lens to project film onto a screen - Concave mirrors are used in projectors and there can
be a true inverted image of the object at the focal point of the mirror.
e) A focused solar beam for burning ants (or just scorching paper) – Because the concave mirror
focuses the parallel beam coming from the sun onto the object.

IV. Conclusion

In this study, we discovered the difference between concave mirrors, convex mirrors,
positive lenses, and negative lenses. This simulation really helped me determine what kind of
mirrors and lenses I was using. Basically, these mirrors and lenses create an image depending on
the position of the object and its focus. In a concave mirror, if you move the object to the focal
point and the mirror, the image keeps moving and getting bigger. Mirroring an object convexly
out of focus shortens the image.

V. Reference
“Image formation in Plane Mirror” https://ophysics.com/l9.html

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