Lens

Card 1: Technical Terms

Technical Terms

Principle Axis:
The principle axis of a lens is the line joining the centres of of
curvature of its surfaces.
Principle focus, F:
The principle focus of a lens is the point on the priciple axis to which
all rays originally parallel and close to the axis converge, or from
which they diverge, after passing through the lens.
Focal length, f:
The focal length of a lens is the distance between the optical centre
an the principle focus.
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Card 2: Power of a Lens
The Power of a Lens
The power of a lens is defined as the reciprocal of the focal length in
unit meter.

Unit: The unit of power is diopter (D)
Focal length: Shorter focal length (f) - Higher Power
Thickness: Thicker lens - Higher power
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Card 3: Power - Positive or Negative
Power - Positive or Negative
Convex lens has positive power, hence it is also called a positive lens
(or converging lens).
Concave lens has negative power, hence it is called a negative lens
(or diverging lens).
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Card 4: Ray diagram 1 - A ray of light through the optical centre of the lens, P.
Ray Diagram 1

A ray of light through the optical centre of the lens, P. This passes
through the lens unbent.
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Card 5: Ray diagram 2 - A ray of light parallel to the principal axis.
Ray Diagram 2

A ray of light parallel to the principal axis. This passes through F when
it leaves the lens.
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Card 6: Ray Diagram 3 - A ray of light through F.
Ray Diagram 3

A ray of light through F. This leaves the lens parallel to the principal
axis. It is equivalent to ray diagram r 2 in reverse.
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Card 7: Ray diagram - Image Form by a Convex Lens
Ray diagram - Image Form by a Convex Lens

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Card 8: Ray diagram - Image Form by a Concave Lens
Ray diagram - Image Form by a Concave Lens


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Card 9: Convex Lens - Properties of Images
Properties of Image of Convex Lens

Figure above shows the summary of the properties of images formed
by a convex lens when the object is placed at different posotions.
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Card 10: Properties of Image of Concave Lens
Properties of Image of Concave Lens
The image form by a concave lens is always:
Virtual
Upright
Diminish (Smaller)

Any lens that is "thinner in the center" than on the edges is called a concave lens and will function as
a diverging lens when operating in air.






The diagrams above show that in each case, the image is
located on the object' side of the lens
a virtual image
an upright image
reduced in size (i.e., smaller than the object)

Unlike converging lenses, diverging lenses always produce images that share these
characteristics.
The location of the object does not affect the characteristics of the image. As such, the
characteristics of the images formed by diverging lenses are easily predictable.


Ray diagram of concave lens

Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis of a diverging lens will refract
through the lens and travel in line withthe focal point (i.e., in a direction such that
its extension will pass through the focal point).
Any incident ray traveling towards the focal point on the way to the lens will refract
through the lens and travel parallel to the principal axis.
An incident ray that passes through the center of the lens will in effect continue in
the same direction that it had when it entered the lens.