Geometrical Optics

A. Properties of light
Light can propagate through the vacuum space, meaning that the light doesn’t need any
medium to travel. Light travels in straight lines.
1. Light Reflection
The law of reflection applies for the phenomenon of light reflections. It states that:
- The incident angle (i) is equal to the reflection angle (r)
- Incident ray, the normal line and the reflection ray are on the same flat plane.

a. Image formation on a flat mirror

Often used to see ourselves. The image properties on a flat mirror are virtual, upright
and the same size as the object. The image formed on the flat mirror is facing us with
the right and left side are in reverse.
If there are that many mirrors in front of us, there will be many images formed. If 2 flat
mirrors are arranged in such ways, they can create
an angle (α), the number of images formed: n =
360°
−1
α

Example:
When 2 mirrors are arranged in 90° angle (α =
90°), it will form:
360°
N= −1=3 reflections
90°

b. Image formation in spherical mirrors

Spherical mirrors have spherical reflected surfaces. There are 2 types:
In concave mirrors, the image formation can be studied by considering the reflection of
the following special ray:
- The incident ray is parallel with the principle
axis and is reflected through the focal point
- The incident ray coming from the center can
be reflected as well

P/O = vertex
F = focal point
 C = center of curvature
Green line (before hitting mirror) = Incident Ray
Green line (after hitting mirror) = Reflected Ray

III II I

Image is diminished, real &

inverted

- The distance between vertex and focal point is called focal length (f)
- The distance between object and mirror is object distance (s)
- The distance between image and mirror is image distance (s’)
- The distance between vertex and center of curvature is called radius of curvature
(R)
In concave mirrors, the following general equation will apply:
 1 1 1
+ = , the relationship between focal length (f) and radius of curvature (R) is f =
s s' f
R
2
Image magnification (M) in concave mirrors:

||
s' h'
M = ∨M = , where h = object’s height and h’ = image’s height
s h
The focal length of a concave mirror is always positive

Work Example:
1) The focal length of a concave mirror is 8cm. Determine the position and
magnification of a teddy bear located 20cm away from the mirror. Given: f = 8cm, s
= 20cm, s’ = ?, M = ?
1 1 1 1 5−2
+ = =
s s' f s' 40
1 1 1 1 3
+ = =
20 s ' 8 s ' 40
1 1 1 40
= − s' =
s ' 8 20 3

| || |
40
s' 3 2
M= = → x
s 20 3
2) The radius of curvature of a concave mirror is 20cm. If a ruler is placed 15cm in
front of the mirror, determine: a) position of image, b) magnification of image, c)
height of image if the height of the ruler is 5cm. Given: R = 20cm, f = 10cm, s =
15cm, h = 5cm, s’ = ?, M = ?, h’ = ?
1 1 1 1 3−1
a) + = =
s s' f s' 30
1 1 1 S’ = 30cm
+ =
15 s ' 10

b) M = | ss' |=|3015|→2 x
c)
h' h' '
h =10 cm
=M =2
h 5

Similar with a concave mirror, the process of image formation due to the reflections in
convex mirror can be studied by considering the reflection of the special rays:
- The incident ray is parallel to the principle axis will be reflected as if it is coming
from the focal point.
- The incident ray coming from the focal point will be reflected in parallel to the
principle axis.
- The incident ray goes towards the center curvature will be reflected as if it is
coming from the point
 Front Behind

- Similar to concave mirrors, it takes at least 2 special rays to draw the image in an
object convex mirror.

Image Properties:
Virtual, upright, diminished
Equation for concave mirrors are also applied. However, the focal length and radius of
curvature of convex mirrors are negative.
1 1 1 R
= + , f is always negative. f = , R always negative.
f s s' 2

Work Example:
a) A 2cm eraser is located 10cm in front of a convex mirror with a radius of curvature
of 10cm. Determine: a) the distance of image, b) the magnification of image, c) the
height of image. Given: h = 2cm, s = 10cm, R = -10cm, f = -5cm
1 1 1 −2−1 1
= + =
f s s' 10 s'
1 1 1 −3 1
= + =
−5 10 s ' 10 s '
' 10
s=
−3

| || |
10 h ' 1 h' ' 2
c) M = , = , h = cm
b) M = s ' −3 1 h 3 2 3
= = x
s 10 3

b) A bottle placed 20cm in front of convex mirror with a 5cm long focal point has the
length of image, magnification and the height of image if the height is 5cm
determined. Given: s = 20cm, f = 5cm, h = 5cm
1 1 1 −4 1 1
= + − =
f s s' 20 20 s'
1 1 1 −5 1
= + =
−5 20 s ' 20 s '
'
s =−4 cm
 b) M = | |
−4 1
= x
20 5
c) M =
h' 1 '
= , h =1 cm
5 5

2. Light Refraction
a) Snellius’ Law
Light refraction is a phenomenon of light turning. Refraction takes place whenever a
beam of light passes 2 mediums with different optic densities. The optic density of a
medium is indicated by the refractive index.
The medium refractive index (n) is the ratio between the speed of light in the vacuum
space (c) and in that medium (v):
c
n= , c = 3 x 105 m/s or 3 x 108 m/s
v

In refraction, the following Snellius’ Law applies:

- Incident ray, refracted ray and normal line are on the same plane
- Incident light comes from a less dense to denser medium will be refracted towards
the normal line, where as incident ray comes from a denser to less dense medium will
be refracted away from the normal line.

- For the incident ray to come from a medium with a refractive index (n 1) and incident
angle (i) to move towards a medium with a refractive (n2) and refractive angle (r), the
following equation is as follows:
n1 sin i = n2 sin r
b) Refraction in Prisms
A prism is, in context, is a space confined by several surfaces with 3 angular shapes.

n1 β n2

N1 N2
γ
 The incident ray from the left side of the prism will be refracted towards the normal
line for the optical density of the air (outside prism) is less dense than inside the prism.
The incident ray with the incident angle (i1) is refracted with the refracted angle of r1
as well as an incident angle (i2) that will refract it away from the normal line on the right
side pf the prism with the refractive angle (r2). Note the top angle of the prism is called
refracted angle (β).
The angle formed by the extension of the incident and refracted ray is called the
deviation angle (δ).

c) Light Refraction in Lenses

i. Concave Lenses (negative)
Concave lenses disperse beams; hence they are called divergent lenses. As they have
negative focal length, then they are also called negative lenses. The following rules
need to be understood in studying the image formation on a concave lens:
- The incident ray that is parallel to the principle axis will be refracted as if it
came from the first focal point (F1) that faces the object directly.
- The incident ray that goes towards the 2nd focal point will be refracted in parallel
to the principle axis (F2 faces the object indirectly).
- The incident ray that goes towards the vertex will continuously go straight
without being refracted.

F2

F1

ii. Convex Lenses (positive)

Collects beams, hence called convergent lenses. Having a positive focal length
makes them the positive lenses. The following rules need to be understood in
studying the image formation on a convex lens (only ray 1 & 3 are important):
- The incident ray that is parallel with the principle axis will be refracted through
the 2nd focal point (F2) that faces the object indirectly.
- The incident ray that goes towards the vertex will go straight without any
refraction.
 - The incident ray goes towards the 1st focal point (F1) will be refracted parallel to
the principle axis.

iii. General Equation in Thin Lenses

Here are the relations of the focal length (f), distance of object (s), and distance of
image (s’) together:
1 1 1
= +
f s s'
The image magnification (M) can be calculated using:

||
M= =
s' h'
s h
The following rules must be considered when applying said equations:
- S will be positive if the object is placed in front the lens and negative if placed
behind the lens.
- S’ will be positive if the image formed behind the lens (real image) and negative
if formed in front of lens (virtual image).
- Ff is positive in convex and negative in concave.
- If S and S’ of the same properties, the image formed will be inverted and will be
upright if S and S’ have different signs.
The optical power of a lens can be calculated by the following formula:
P=|| 1
f
P is the optical power of lens in dioptre (inverse meter) and f is focal point in
meters.
Work Example:
1. A pear is located at 4cm in front of a concave lens with a focal length of 12cm. Find:
a) s’, b) image M, c) Image properties, d) P. Given: s = 4cm, f = -12cm
1 1 1 −1 1 1 −1−3 1 −1 1
a) = + , = + , = , = , s’ =-3cm
f s s' 12 4 s ' 12 s' 3 s'
b) M = | || |
s ' −3
s
=
4
=0.75 x

c) s positive and s’ negative. Image is virtual, diminished and upright

 d) P = |1f |=|0.121 |→ 8.3 Dioptres
2. A BTS Suga cardboard cutout is located 15cm in front of a convex lens with a 10cm
focal length. Determine: a) s’, b) image M, c) Image properties, d) P. Given: s =
15cm, f = 10cm
1 1 1 1 1 1 3−2 1
a) = + , = + , = , s’ = 30cm
f s s ' 10 15 s ' 30 s'
b) M = | || |
s'
s
=
30
15
=2 x

c) s and s’ are both positive hence image is inverted, image is real, inverted and
magnified.
d) P =
1
f||| |
=
1
0.1
→ 10 Dioptres