EXPERIMENT NO.

112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019

Analysis

A lens is a transparent material with two non-parallel curved edges or one

plane and one curved edge. If the middle part of lens is thicker, it is called a

converging lens (Figure 1a). If the middle part is thinner, the lens is called diverging

lens (Figure 1b). The magnifying ability of a lens depends on its focal length. In this

experiment, you will determine the focal length of two convex lenses by measuring

object and image distances.

Figure 1a. Converging Lenses 1b. Diverging Lenses

To determine the focal length of a converging lenses using the thin lens

equation. To compute the image magnification using image height and object height

and image distance and object distance.

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 EXPERIMENT NO. 112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019

Materials

- 1-piece converging lenses (+200 mm)

- 1-piece image screen

- 1-piece light source

- 1-piece optics bench

Theory

The thin lens equation can be used with either converging or diverging lenses

that are thin, and it relates the object distance s, the image distance s’ and the focal

length of the lens f,

1 1 1
= + (eqn. 1)
𝑓 𝑠 𝑠′

The magnification M is the comparison of the image size and object size.

ℎ𝑖
𝑀= (eqn. 2)
ℎ𝑜

The magnification M is also the ratio of the image distance and object

distance.

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 EXPERIMENT NO. 112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019
𝑠′
𝑀=− (eqn. 3)
𝑠

The negative sign is for the orientation of the image. If the magnification is

positive, the image is erect. The image is inverted if the magnification is negative.

Measure the height of the object and record this as ho. The object is a light

source (vertical lighted arrow). Place the light source at the 0-cm mark of the optics

bench and the screen at the 90-cm mark. Place the converging lens between the light

source and the screen. Start with the lens closer to the light source and then move

the lens until a sharp image t source on the screen until a sharp image of the object

is formed. This is position 1 of the lenses. Measure the object distance and the image

distance. Measure the image height and record this as hi. Compute the focal length

and the magnification. Move the lens closer to the screen until another sharp (and

diminished) image is formed on the screen. Measure the object distance and the

image distance. Measure the image height and record this as hi. Compute the focal

length and the magnification. Repeat procedures 2-4 for two more trials. Place the

screen at the 100-cm mark for trial 2 and at the 110-cm mark for trial 3.

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 EXPERIMENT NO. 112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019

Conclusion

Sample Computations

Table 1. Determination of Focal Length of a Converging Lens (actual value =

+20cm)

POSITION 1 POSITON 2

Positio Object Image Focal Length Object Image Focal length

n of distanc distance f distanc distanc f

Image e s e e

Screen s s s

90 cm 29 cm 61cm 𝑠 × 𝑠′ 61 cm 29 cm (61)(29)
= =
𝑠 + 𝑠′ 61 + 29

(29)(61) = 19.6600 𝑐𝑚
=
29 + 61

= 19.6600 𝑐𝑚

100 cm 27 cm 73 cm (27)(73) 73 cm 27 cm (73)(27)

= =
27 + 73 73 + 27

= 19.7100 𝑐𝑚 = 19.7100 𝑐𝑚

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 EXPERIMENT NO. 112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019

110 cm 26 cm 84 cm (26)(84) 84 cm 26 cm (84)(26)

= =
26 + 84 84 + 26

= 19.8600 𝑐𝑚 = 19.8600 𝑐𝑚

average focal 20 cm average focal 20 cm

length length

Percentage 1.3 % Percentage Error 1.3 %

Error

Table 2. Image Magnification

Magnification, M

Position of 𝑠′ ℎ𝑖 Percent
𝑀= − 𝑀=
𝑠 ℎ𝑜
Image Screen Difference

90 cm 61 −8.6 4.6500%
= − =
29 3.9
POSITION 1
= −2.1000 = 2.2000

100 cm 73 10.1 4.1588%

=− =
27 3.9

= −2.7000 = 2.5900

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 EXPERIMENT NO. 112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019

110 cm 84 13.2 4.5386%

=− =
26 3.9

= −3.2300 = 3.38

90 cm 29 1.9 1.4889%
=− =
61 3.9
POSITION 2
= −0.4800 = 0.4872

100 cm 27 1.5 3.8696%

=− =
73 3.9

= −0.3700 = 0.3846

110 cm 26 1.2 0.7447%

=− =
84 3.9

= −0.3100 = 0.3077

Since the focal length of the lens is constant, we can conclude that the image

distance is inversely proportional to the object distance. As the object distance

increases, the image distance should also increase to attain the constant value of the

focal length. Moreover, to produce real image, the object distance should be greater

than the value of the focal length (f). A virtual image is formed if the object is located

less than one focal length from the converging lens.

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 EXPERIMENT NO. 112: THIN LENSES

Name Torres, Justine Group No. 3

Ann Marie F.
Course/Year CE/1 Seat No.
Subject/Section PHYS101L/A7 Date January 08, 2019

Magnification is the ratio of the image distance over the object distance (𝑀 =

𝑆′
− ). If the image distance is kept constant, thus the image magnification is
𝑆

inversely proportional to the objects distance. Meaning, as the object move closer to

the lens, larger image is producing on the other hand, if the object place farther from

the lens, the image produced is smaller if the sign of magnification is negative, the

image is inverted and if it is positive, the image erect.

Thin lenses are optical devices manufactured in ways that bend light in various

ways. Convex lenses focus distant images at a point on the side of the lens opposite

from a light source. When the parallel rays of light pass through a convex lens, the

refracted rays converge at a single point called the principal focus. Concave lenses

focus distant objects so someone on the side of the lens opposite from which the

incidence light is, sees the object as to be at a point behind the lens. When parallel

rays of light pass through a concave lens, the refracted rays diverge, appearing as to

come from one point called the principal focus.

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