Pusat Tuition Makrifat

Physics F4, Chapter 6: Lights and Optics

Notes Prepared By: Bazil Bolia

Key understanding: Refraction of Light, Refractive Index, Snell’s Law, Real Depth and Apparent
Depth, Total Internal Reflection, Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection, Image Formation by
Lenses, Thin Lens Formula, Optical Instruments, Image Formation by Spherical Mirrors

6.4: Thin Lens Formula

1. Another method to describe and locate the image formed by a lens is the thin lens formula.
2. Thin lens formula relates to object distance, u, image distance, v and the focal length, f for a
lens as

1 1 1
+ =
𝑢 𝑣 𝑓

Solving Problems Involving Thin Lens Formula

1. Object distance, u is always positive

2. Image distance, v is positive for a real image and negative for a virtual image.
3. The focal length, f of a lens is positive for convex lens and negative for concave lens.

Positive Negative
v Real Image Virtual Image
f Convex Lens Concave Lens

Example 1:

Diagram below shows an object placed 5.0 cm in front of a convex lens. The magnification of the
image is 1.5.

What is the focal length of the lens?

Example 2:

An object is placed 30 cm from a concave lens of focal length of 10 cm. The height of the image
formed is 2cm. Determine.

a) The image distance

b) The linear magnification
c) The height of the object

And state the characteristics of the image formed.

4. Take note that

- Negative sign for the focal length of the concave lens
- Negative answer means the image is virtual and on the same side as the object
- M < 1 means smaller, m = 1 means same size and m > 1 means bigger.

Example 3:

An object is placed 20 cm from a convex lens of focal length 10cm. Calculate the
a) Image distance
b) Linear magnification

Example 4:

An object is placed 20cm from a concave lens of focal length 15 cm. Calculate the
a) Image distance
b) Linear magnification
6.5: Optical Instruments

Uses of Lenses in Optical Instruments

Magnifying glass (simple microscope)

1. A magnifying glass is a single convex lens with a short focal length.

2. When the object distance is greater than the focal length (u < f), the image formed is virtual,
magnified and upright.
3. Magnification, M of magnifying glass is given by

𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑣
𝑀= =
𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢

4. The formation of image by a magnifying glass is shown in the diagram below

5. Magnifying glasses can be used in various ways such as to zoom up on small objects or to
start a fire. Other uses includes:
a) An archaeologist uses a magnifying glass to study ancient manuscripts
b) A botanist uses a magnifying glass to study plants, etc

Compound Microscope

1. A compound microscope consists of two convex lenses of short focal length in series.
2. The lens that is close to the object to be viewed is objective lens and the lens that is close to
the eye is eyepiece.
3. The focal length of objective lens is shorter than the focal length of eyepiece, fo < fe.
4. The longer the focal length of eyepiece may receive more light rays from the object to be
magnified and form a bright image.
5. The distance between the two lenses is greater than fo + fe.
6. The ray diagram to show the working of a compound microscope is shown on the next page.
7. Based on the first diagram for the compound microscope, the working principles of a
compound microscope is as follows:
a) A tiny object, O is placed in front of the objective lens at a position between fo and 2fo.
b) In this case, the objective lens forms a real, inverted and magnified image, Io,
c) Now, Io acts as an object of the eyepiece, which its position is adjusted so that Io lies
between Fe and the optical centre of the eyepiece.
d) The eyepiece forms a final virtual, inverted and magnified image, Ie.

8. The magnification of a compound microscope is given by

𝑀 = 𝑚𝑜 × 𝑚𝑒

Where mo = magnification of objective lens and me = magnification of eyepiece

 9. Microscopes are used in a variety of scientific fields for many purposes. Scientists use them
in laboratories and to study microbes.

Telescope

1. A telescope consists of two convex lenses in series.

2. The focal length of objective lens is longer than the focal length of eyepiece, fo > fe.
3. The distance between the two lenses is fo + fe.
4. The ray diagram below shows the working of a telescope.

5. Based on the diagram, the working principle is as follows:

a) A parallel light ray from a very far object such as star falls on the objective lens of the
telescope.
b) The objective lens forms a real, inverted and diminished image, Io.
c) Now, Io acts as an object for the eyepiece, which its position is adjusted so that Io lies
between Fe and the optical centre of the eyepiece.
d) The eyepiece forms a final virtual, inverted and highly magnified image at infinity.
6. When the final image of an object is formed at infinity, the telescope is said to be in normal
adjustment.
7. The magnification of a telescope is given by
𝑓𝑜
𝑀=
𝑓𝑒

Where fo = focal length of objective lens and fe = focal length of eyepiece

8. A telescope is used to view very far objects such as planets and stars.

Example 5:

The distance between two lenses of astronomical telescope in a normal adjustment is 80cm. The
focal length of eyepiece is 10cm.

a) What is the focal length of objective lens?

b) What is the magnification of the telescope?
Applications of Small Lenses in Optical Instrument Technology

1. Small lenses are widely used in smartphone and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
2. Smartphones and small size CCTVs have small size convex lenses. These lenses can form an
image that is real, diminished and inverted at the sensor.
3. The minimum distance between the sensor and the centre of the lens has to be the same
size as the focal length of the camera lens.
4. The size of smartphones and CCTV cannot be smaller than the focal length of the camera
lens.
5. Diagram below shows the formation of an image by a small lens in the smartphone and
CCTV cameras.