Chapter 4:

Thin Lenses
Physics 72 8:45-9:45 AM
May 6, 2015
TWHFR-x

5/6/2015 1
Objectives:
Differentiate a converging lens from a diverging lens
Given an object in front of a lens or series of lenses:
Calculate the location of the image
Calculate the magnification of the image
Determine whether the image will be real or virtual,
and upright or inverted
Given an object placed in front of a lens or series of
lenses, draw the principal rays and locate the image
Relate the radii of curvature of the lens in air and its
index of refraction to the focal length of the lens
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Lenses
Lenses are one of the most widely used optical instrument
Consists of two refracting surfaces close enough so that the
distances between them is negligible

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Converging (convex) Lenses
Incident Side Transmission side

1st refracting surface 2nd refracting surface

f f

F1 F2 2nd focus
1st focus Center

Focal length is positive

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Concave (diverging) Lenses
Incident Side Transmission side

1st refracting surface 2nd refracting surface

f f

2nd focus F2 F1 1st focus

Center

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Focal length is negative 5
Thin Lenses

f>0 f<0
Tends to converge light rays Tends to diverge light rays

Thicker at the center Thinner at the center

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Focal length
What is the focal length What is the focal length
of a mirror? of a lens?

R
f f ?
2
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Lensmakers equation (lens in air)

1 1 1
For a lens there are
two curved surfaces n 1
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 Lensmakers equation (general)

For a lens there are two immersed 1 n no 1 1

in a medium with index no
Physics 72 Alvarez f no R1 R2
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Lensmakers equation
1 1
n 1
1
f R1 R2
If one of the surface is
planar, R =

R1 is the radius of curvature

of the first surface.

R2 is the radius of curvature

Physics 72 Alvarez of the second surface.
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Lensmakers equation
Which is first refracting surface, which is second?

1st refracting surface 2nd refracting surface

C2 C1
F1 F2

R2 R1
Which is R1?
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Which is R2? 11
Concave (diverging) Lenses
Which is first, which is second?

1st refracting surface 2nd refracting surface

F2 F1
C1 C2
R1 R2

Which is R1?
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Which is R2? 12
Lensmakers equation
Recall:
What are the signs? R>0 if outgoing light
R1? and center of curvature
are at the same side
Positive!
R2?
Negative!
F1 F2
C2 C1
R2 R1
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Concave (diverging) Lenses
What are the signs?
R1?
Negative!
R2?
Positive!

F2 F1
C1
C2
R1
R2
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 A contact lens is made of plastic with an index
Example: of refraction of 1.50. The lens has an outer
radius of curvature of R1=+2.5 cm and an inner
radius of curvature of R2=+2.0 cm. What is the
focal length of the lens when immersed in air?

1 1
n 1
1
f R1 R2
2.5cm
C
1 1
1.5 1
1

2.0cm f 2.50cm 2.00cm

f 20cm
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 A double convex thin lens has an index of
Example: refraction n = 1.6 and radii of curvature of
equal magnitude. If its focal length is 15 cm,
what is the radius of curvature of each surface?
1 1 1
n 1
f R1 R2
1 1 1
1.6 1
R2 15 R1 R2
C2
1 1 1 2
C1 R1
0.6 0.6
15 R R R

R1 R 18cm
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R2 R 18cm 16
Sign Rules
1. Let s be the object distance
Positive (s>0) object and incoming light are on the
same side real object
Negative (s<0) object is on the opposite side of the
incoming light virtual object
2. Let s be the image distance
Positive (s>0) image and outgoing light are on the
same side real image
Negative (s<0) image is on the opposite side of the
outgoing light virtual image
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Convex image location

What is the sign of s?

Positive!
What is the sign of s?
Positive!

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Convex image location

1 1 1 All lengths are with respect

to the center
s s' f Be careful with the signs!

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Convex extended object

s' y ' Magnified or reduced?

m Upright or inverted?
s y
Real or virtual?
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Diverging- Image Location

What is the sign of s?

Positive!
What is the sign of s?
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Diverging- Extended Object

1 1 1 s' y '
m
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s s' f s y 22
Convex Lens
Beam of rays parallel to the
optic axis will converge on
the 2nd focal point
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Rays passing through the
first focal point will
emerge parallel to the
optic axis
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Diverging Lens
Beam of rays parallel to Rays converging through
the optic axis will the 1st focal point will
appear to diverge from emerge parallel to the
the 2nd focal point optic axis

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 Example:
An object was placed at (A) 30.0 cm, (B) 10.0 cm in front of
a converging lens of focal length 10.0 cm. In each case,
find the image distance and describe the image.
Is f (+) or (-)? Positive (+)
1 1 1 1 1 1

s s' f s' f s s' y '
(A) s = 30.0cm m
s y
1 1

1 15
s' 15.0cm m 0.5
s' 10 30 30
s' 0 real m 0 inverted
| m | 1 reduced
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 Example:
An object was placed at (A) 30.0 cm, (B) 10.0 cm in front of
a converging lens of focal length 10.0 cm. In each case,
find the image distance and describe the image.
Is f (+) or (-)? Positive (+)
1 1 1 1 1 1

s s' f s' f s
(B) s = 10.0cm
1 1 1 s' y'
s' m
s' 10 10 s y

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 Example:
An object was placed at 5.0 cm in front of a converging
lens of focal length 10.0 cm. Find the image distance and
describe the image.
Is f (+) or (-)? Positive (+)
1 1 1 1 1 1
s' y '
s s' f s' f s m
s y
(C) s = 5.0cm
10
1 1 1 m 2.0
s' 10.0cm 5
s' 10 5 m 0 upright
s' 0 virtual | m | 1 magnified
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 Quiz:
A diverging lens of focal length 10.0 cm forms an image
when placed at (A) 30.0 cm, (B) 10.0 cm, and (C) 5.00 cm
from the lens. In each case, find the image distance and
describe the image. Is f (+) or (-)? Negative (-)
1 1 1 1 1 1
s' y '
s s' f s' f s m
s y
(A) s = 30.0cm
7.5
1 1 1 m 0.25
s' 7.50cm 30
s' 10 30
m 0 upright
s' 0 virtual
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| m | 1 reduced
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 Quiz:
A diverging lens of focal length 10.0 cm forms an image
when placed at (A) 30.0 cm, (B) 10.0 cm, and (C) 5.00 cm
from the lens. In each case, find the image distance and
describe the image. Is f (+) or (-)? Negative (-)
1 1 1 1 1 1
s' y '
s s' f s' f s m
s y
(B) s = 10.0cm
5.0
1

1

1
s' 5.0cm m 0.50
s' 10 10 10
m 0 upright
s' 0 virtual
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| m | 1 reduced
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 Quiz:
A diverging lens of focal length 10.0 cm forms an image
when placed at (A) 30.0 cm, (B) 10.0 cm, and (C) 5.00 cm
from the lens. In each case, find the image distance and
describe the image. Is f (+) or (-)? Negative (-)
1 1 1 1 1 1
s' y '
s s' f s' f s m
s y
(C) s = 5.0cm
10 / 3
1 1 1 10 m 2 / 3
s' cm 5
s' 10 5 3 m 0 upright
s' 0 virtual | m | 1 reduced
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