ANALYSIS

This experiment is about the different effects of light on the lens to form an image. The

location and size of an image can be determined graphically, by means of the behavior of three

characteristic rays. The thin lens equation was used by our group to compute for the focal length

of the lens for chromatic aberrations. Results from the gathered data are the key factors that will

give the most possible value of the effect being determined in the experiment.

The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges

or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated

rays are brought to a focus. A system with a shorter focal length has greater optical power than

one with a long focal length; that is, it bends the rays more strongly, bringing them to a focus in a

shorter distance.

The thin lens equation is stated as follows :

wherein :

do = the distance from the object to the center of the lens

di = the distance (measured along the axis) from the image to the center of the lens
f = the focal length of the lens

Real images will be projected on a screen placed at the image position.The image

distance di is positive for a real image. The image would also be inverted because it is formed

behind the lens. Virtual images can not be projected on a screen placed at the image position.The

image distance di is negative for a virtual image. The image would also be upright because it is

formed in front of the lens. As the object moves closer to the focal point, the image size

increases.

An aberration is any failure of a mirror or lens to behave precisely. It can be classified as

chromatic aberrations, which involve wavelength-dependent imaging behavior, or mono-

chromatic aberrations, which occur even with monochromatic (single-wave- length) light. Lens

aberrations are not caused by faulty construction of the lens, such as irregularities in its surfaces,

but are inevitable consequences of the laws of refraction at spherical surfaces.

Chromatic aberrations are a result of dispersion, the variation of index of refraction with

wavelength. Dispersion causes the focal length of a lens to be somewhat different for different

wavelengths, so different wavelengths are imaged at different points. The magnification of a lens

also varies with wave- length; this effect is responsible for the rainbow-fringed images seen with

inexpensive binoculars or telescopes. Mirrors are inherently free of chromatic aberrations, which

is one of the reasons for their usefulness in large astronomical telescopes.

 Spherical aberration is the failure of rays from a point object on the optic axis to converge

to a point image. Instead, the rays converge within a circle of minimum radius, called the circle

of least confusion, and then diverge again. The corresponding effect for points off the optic axis

produces images that are comet-shaped figures rather than circles; this is called coma. Note that

decreasing the size of the lens aperture cuts off the larger-angle rays, thus decreasing spherical

aberration.
CONCLUSION

In this experiment, three activities were done for lens aberrations. The first activity is to obtain

the focal length of the lens.

The second activity made use of the same lens; with the use of a bulb and meter stick, the image

formed on the wall was determined real or virtual, inverted or upright, magnified or diminished

in varied distances.

The third activity was in two parts, chromatic and spherical aberration. Chromatic aberration

made use of the red and blue filters. A lens will not focus different colors in exactly the same

place because the focal length depends on refraction and the index of refraction for blue light

(short wavelengths) is larger than that of red light (long wavelengths). The amount of chromatic

aberration depends on the dispersion of the glass. Spherical aberration was done by covering

certain parts of the lens. For lens with spherical aberration, the best approximation to use for the

focal length is the distance at which the difference between the paraxial and marginal rays is the

smallest.

In the end of the activity, the focal length of a converging lens was determined; the image

formed by a converging lens in different distances was characterized, chromatic and spherical

aberrations were verified and the image formation by combination of lenses were characterized.