LENS MAKER’S FORMULAE

Examples: -
Ex. 1 - The radius of curvature of each
face of biconcave lens, made of glass of
refrac�ve index 1.5 is 30 cm. Calculate
the focal length of the lens in air.
Answer: f = – 30 cm
Ex. 2 - The radii of curvature of the
faces of a double convex lens are 10 cm
and 15 cm. If focal length is 12 cm,
what is the refrac�ve index of glass?

Answer: 𝝁𝝁 = 1.5
Ex. 3 - A biconvex lens has a focal
𝟐𝟐
length �mes the radius of curvature
𝟑𝟑
of either surface. Calculate the
refrac�ve index of lens material.
[CBSE D 10]
Answer: 𝝁𝝁 = 1.75
Ex. 4 - The radii of curvature of a
double convex lens of glass (𝝁𝝁 = 1.5)
are in the ra�o 1:2. This lens renders
the rays parallel coming from an
illuminated filament at a distance of 6
cm. Calculate the radii of curvature of
its surfaces.
Answer: R1 = + 4.5 cm, R2 = – 9 .0 cm
Ex. 5 - Find the radius of curvature of
the convex surface of a plano-convex
lens, whose focal length is 0.3 m and
the refrac�ve index of the material of
the lens is 1.5.
(ISCE 98: CBSE D10]
Answer: R = 0.15m
Ex. 6 - The focal length of a convex lens
made of glass of refrac�ve index (1.5)
is 20 cm. What will be its new focal
length when placed in a medium of
refrac�ve index 1.25? Is focal length
posi�ve or nega�ve? What does it
signify? [CBSE SP 22]
Answer: fm = + 50 cm
Ex. 7 - The radii of curvature of a
double convex lens are 10 cm and 20
cm respec�vely. Calculate its focal
length when it is immersed in a liquid
of refrac�ve index 1.65. State the
nature of the lens in the liquid. The
refrac�ve index of glass is 1.5.
Answer: – 73.33 cm
Ex. 8 - If the refrac�ve index from air to
𝟑𝟑
glass is and that from air to water is
𝟐𝟐
𝟒𝟒
, find the ra�o of focal lengths of a
𝟑𝟑
glass lens in water and in air.
Answer: fw: fa = 4: 1
Ex. 9 - A double convex lens has a focal
length of 25 cm in air. When it is
dipped into a liquid of refrac�ve index
𝟒𝟒
, its focal length is increased to 100
𝟑𝟑
cm. Find the refrac�ve index of the
lens material.
Answer: 𝝁𝝁 = 1.5
Ex. 10 - An equiconvex lens of focal
length 15 cm is cut into two equal
halves as shown.
What is the focal
length of each half?
[CBSE SP 96]
Answer: f’ = 30 cm
Problems For Prac�ce:
1. The focal length of an equiconcave
𝟑𝟑
lens is �mes of radius of curvature of
𝟒𝟒
its surfaces. Find the refrac�ve index of
the material of the lens. Under what
condi�on will this lens behave as a
converging lens? [CBSE OD 20]
(Ans. μ = 5/3)
2. Write the Lens maker's formula and
use it to obtain the range of values of
μ (the refrac�ve index of the material
of the lens) for which the focal length
of an equiconvex lens, kept in air,
would have a greater magnitude than
that of the radius of curvature of its
two surfaces. [CBSE D 16C]
3. A biconvex lens has a focal length
half the radius of curvature of either
surface. What is the refrac�ve index of
lens material?

(Ans. µ = 2)
4. The figure shows a thin lens with
centres of curvature C1 and C2. Find its
focal length.
Take μ = 1.5.

(Ans. + 40 cm)
5. A converging lens has a focal length
of 20 cm in air. It is made of a material
of refrac�ve index 1.6. If it is immersed
in a liquid of refrac�ve index 1.3, what
will be its new focal length?
[CBSE OD 11; F 17]

(Ans. 52 cm)
6. A plano-convex lens (µ = 1.5) has a
curved surface of radius 15 cm. What
is its focal length?

(Ans. 30 cm)
7. A plano-convex lens µ = 1.5 has focal
length of 18 cm in air. Calculate the
radius of curvature of the spherical
surface. [CBSE F 94]

(Ans. 9.0 cm)

8. The focal length of a concavo-convex
lens of radii of curvature 5 cm and 10
cm is 20 cm. What will be its focal
𝟒𝟒
length in water? Given μw = .
a
𝟑𝟑

(Ans. – 80 cm)
9. A convex lens of focal length f and
refrac�ve index 1.5 is immersed in a
liquid of refrac�ve index (i) 1.6 (ii) 1.3
and (iii) 1.5. What changes happen to
the focal length of the lens in the three
cases?

[Ans. (i) – 8ƒ (ii) + 3.25ƒ (iii) ∞]

10. The focal length of a plano-convex
lens is 20 cm in air. Refrac�ve index of
glass is 1.5. Calculate (i) the radius of
curvature of lens surface and (ii) its
focal length when immersed in liquid
of refrac�ve index 1.6.

[Ans. (i) – 10 cm (ii) – 160 cm]

11. The focal length of a glass convex
lens in air is 15 cm. Calculate its focal
length, when it is totally immersed in
𝟒𝟒
water. Given μw = and μg = 1.5.
a a
𝟑𝟑
[Punjab 01]

(Ans. 60 cm)
12. The radius of curvature of each
surface of a convex lens is 20 cm and the
refrac�ve index of the material of the
𝟑𝟑
lens is . (i) Calculate its focal length. (ii)
𝟐𝟐
If this is cut along the plane AB, what will
be the focal length of the each of the two
halves so formed? (iii) What happens if
the lens is cut along CD?
[Ans. (i) 20 cm (ii) 40 cm (iii) f remains same
but intensity of the image decreases]
13. A converging lens of refrac�ve
index 1.5 and of focal length 15 cm in
air has the same radii of curvature for
both sides. If it is immersed in a liquid
of refrac�ve index 1.7, calculate the
focal length of the lens in the liquid.
[CBSE OD 08]
(Ans. – 63.75 cm)