Module P7: Lesson 3

Lenses
1. Draw a ray diagram for a converging lens
2. Calculate the power of a lens
3. Complete a ray diagram to show how a
converging lens produces an image of a
distant object.
Converging Lens

focus Principal axis

Focal length
Thick Converging Lens

focus

Focal length
 More Power?
Lens A has a focal length of 10 cm. Lens B has a
focal length of 5 cm. Which is the most powerful?

Lens A Lens B
1 1
power = power =
focal length focal length
1 1
power = power =
0.10 0.05

power = 10 dioptres power = 20 dioptres

 Light from Distant Objects

Light from a distant object (e.g the windows in a large room) is

approximately parallel when it reaches the lens

Light from a more distant object like the Sun is even closer to being
parallel by the time it reaches the Earth.
 Converging Lens
IfNote: theare
the rays focal
notplane
parallel to the principal axis,
is a they
then line passing at on the focal plane, not
are focused
90ºfocus
the through
itself.the
focus

Principal axis
focus

Focal plane
Note: the light
passing through the
centre of the lens is Focal length
not bent at all.
How is an image produced?

Principal axis
focus

Focal plane

Focal length