PHYSICS FORMULAS

PHYSICS
LIGHT
Ø Light is a form of energy that produces Ø Absolute refractive index(n) of a medium is the
in us the sensation of sight. ratio of speed of light in vacuum or air(c) to the
Ø Reflection of light is the phenomenon speed of light in the medium(v) i.e.
of bouncing back of light in the same c
medium on striking the surface of any n= .
v
object.
Ø Refraction of light is the phenomenon of change
Ø The two laws of reflection are :
in the path of light in going from one medium to
(i) the incident ray, the reflected ray and the
another.
normal (at the point of incidence), all lie in
the same plane. Ø In going from a rarer to a denser medium, the ray
(ii) the angle of reflection (r) is always equal of light bends towards normal and in going from
to the angle of incidence (i) a denser to a rarer medium, the ray of light bends
away from normal.
Ðr = Ði
Ø In a plane mirror, the image of a real Ø Snell’s law of refraction,
object is always sin i n 2 1
= = n2
(i) virtual, sin r n1
(ii) erect Ø No refraction occurs, when
(iii) of same size as the object. (i) light is incident normally on a boundary,
(iv) as far behind the mirror as the (ii) refractive indices of the two media in contact are
object is in front of the mirror. equal.
(v) laterally inverted.
n v
Ø n 21 = 2 = 1
n1 v 2

1 1 1
Ø Lens formula : - =
v u f
Ø New Cartesian Sign Convention for spherical
1 1 1
Ø Mirror formula: + =
lenses: v u f
(i) All distances are measured from optical Ø Linear magnification produced by a
centre C of the lens. spherical mirror is
(ii) The distances measured in the direction of -v size of image (h 2 )
incidence of light are taken as positive and vice- m= =
u size of object (h1 )
versa.
(iii) All heights above the principal axis of the lens Ø For a convex mirror, m is +ve and less
are taken as positive and vice versa. than one, as the image formed is
Ø The linear magnification produced by a lens is virtual, erect and shorter than the
object.
h' v
m= = Ø For a concave mirror, m is +ve when
h u image formed is virtual and m is –ve,
Ø Power of the combination of lenses when image formed is real.
P = P1 + P2 + P3 …
Ø According to New Cartesian Sign Convention, for spherical mirror.
(i) All distances are measured from the pole of the spherical mirror.
(ii) The distances measured in the direction of incidence of light are taken as positive and vice-versa.
(iii) The heights above the principal axis of the mirror are taken as positive and vice-versa.
Radius of curvature (R)
Ø In spherical mirror, focal length (f) = .
2

FOCAL LENGTH:

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The distance of the principal focus (F1 or F2) from the optical centre ‘O’ of a lens is called its
focal length. It is usually denoted by the letter ‘f ‘. Since a concave lens has two principal foci, so it has
two focal lengths, known as : first focal length (f1) and second focal length (f2).
(i) First Focal Length (f1): The distance of first principal focus (F1)
of the lens from optical centre ‘O’ of the lens is called first focal length of concave lens. It
is represented by ‘F1’. i.e. OF1 = f 1. [see (a) in above figure].
(ii) Second Focal Length (F2): The distance of second principal focus (F2) of the lens from
the optical centre ‘O’ of the lens is called second focal length of concave lens. It is
represented by ‘f2’. i.e. OF2 = f2 [see (b) in above figure].

Rules for the formation of images by Convex Lens:

The positions of the image formed by a convex lens can be found by considering two of the
following rays (as explained below).
(i) A ray of light coming parallel to principal axis, after refraction
through the lens, passes through the principal focus (F) as shown in the figure.

Convex Lens

(ii) A ray of light passing through the optical centre O of the lens goes
straight without suffering any deviation as shown in the figure.

(iii) A ray of light coming from the object and passing through the
principal focus of the lens after refraction through the lens, becomes parallel to the principal
axis.

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Image formed by Convex Lens:
The position, size and nature of the image formed by a convex lens depends upon the distance
of the object from the optical centre of the lens. For a thin convex lens, the various case of image
formation are explained below :
(i) When object at infinity:
When an object lies at infinity, the rays of light coming from the
object may be regarded as a parallel beam of light. The ray of light BO passing through the
optical centre O goes straight without any deviation. Another parallel ray AE coming from
the object, after refraction, goes along EA’ Both the refracted rays meet at A’ in the focal
plane of the lens. Hence, a real, inverted and highly diminished image is formed on the
other side of the lens in its focal plane.

Real, Inverted and highly diminished image

(ii) When object lies beyond 2F:

When the object lies beyond 2F, its real, invert and diminished
image is formed between F and 2F on the other side of the lens as explained below:
A ray of light AE coming parallel to the principal axis, after
refraction, passes through the principal focus F and goes along EF. Another ray AO passing
through the optical centre O goes straight without suffering any deviation. Both the
refracted rays meet at A’. Hence, a real, inverted and diminished image is formed between
F and 2F on the other side of the convex lens.

Real, inverted and diminished image

(iii) When object lies at 2F:

When an object lies at 2F, its real & inverted image having same
size as that of the object is formed on the other side of the convex lens as explained below
:

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PHYSICS FORMULAS A ray of light AE coming parallel to the principal axis, after
refraction, passes through the principal focus F and goes along EF. Another ray AO passing
through the optical centre O goes straight without suffering any deviation. Both the
refracted rays meet at A’. Hence a real, inverted image having the same size as the of the
object is formed at 2F on the other side of the lens.

(iv) When object lies between F and 2F.

When an object lies between F and 2F in front of a convex lens,
its real, inverted and magnified image is formed beyond 2F on the other side of the lens an
explained below:
A ray of light AE coming parallel to the principal axis, after
refraction, passes through the principal focus F and goes along EF. Another ray of light AO
passing through the optical centre goes straight without any deviation. Both these refracted
rays meet at A’. Hence a real, inverted and magnified image is formed beyond 2F on the
other side of the lens.

(v) When object lies at F:

When an object lies at the principal focus F of a convex lens, then
its real, inverted and highly magnified image is formed at infinity on the other side of the
lens as explained below:
A ray of light AE coming parallel to the principal axis, after
refraction, passes through the principal focus F and goes along EF. Another ray of light AO
passing through the optical centre O goes straight without any deviation. Both these
refracted rays are parallel to each other and meet at infinity. Hence, a real, inverted, highly
magnified image is formed at infinity on the other side of the lens.

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Meet at infinity

(vi) When object lies between O and F:

When an object lies between the optical centre O and the principal
focus F of a convex lens, then its virtual, erect and magnified image is formed on the same
side as that of the object as explained below :
A ray of light AE coming parallel to the principal axis, after
refraction, passes through the principal focus F and goes along EF. Another ray of light AO
passing through the optical centre goes straight without any deviation. Both these refracted
rays appears to meet at A’. When produced backward. Hence a virtual, erect and enlarged
image is obtained on the same side of the lens.

The results of image formation by a convex lens are summarised in the table:

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Position of the object Positon of the image Size of the image Nature of the image
At infinity At the focus F Highly diminished Real and inverted
Beyond 2F Between F and 2F Diminished Real and inverted
At 2F At 2F Same size Real and inverted
Between F and 2F Beyond 2F Magnified Real and inverted
At F At infinity Highly magnified Real and inverted
Between O and F On the side of the object Magnified Virtual and erect