10.

Optics
 TOPICS IN OPTICS

• Optics – Introduction: definition and types

• Formation of images due to reflection
• Mirrors – inclined, curved / spherical mirrors
• Formation of images due to refraction
• Lenses – convex and concave
• Prisms - refraction, deviation, dispersion (Reading
assignment)
 OPTICS
• Optics is the branch of science that deals with study of light.
• Light is a type of electromagnetic radiation (just like radios waves, X-
rays)
• In many ways light is unique in that it has both particle properties
and wave properties. For this reason, light is said to have a dual
nature.
• Optics, is divided into two parts:
➢ Geometrical Optics - the study of light as a particle.
➢ Physical Optics - the study of light as a wave.
• Light in this topic will be treated as a form of energy which travels in
straight lines called rays.
• The ray treatment of light falls in category of Geometrical optics.
FORMATION OF IMAGES DUE TO REFLECTION
• The way in which the image of a point object is seen in a plane
mirror is shown below
• Rays from the object at O are reflected according to the laws of
reflection so that they appear to come from a point I behind the
mirror and this where the observer imagines the image to be.
• Image I is called an unreal image or virtual image.
– Reason: rays of light do not actually pass through it. (It would
not be obtained on a screen placed at I as would a real Image.
E.g. Image produced on a screen by a projector is a real
Image.
• Rays OA and AE are real rays (light passes through them) while IA
is virtual ray that appears to have travelled a certain path but in fact
has not.
• Experiments show that the image in a plane mirror is as for behind
the mirror as the object is in front and that the line joining the object
to the Image is perpendicular to the mirror .i.e.
ON = NI and OI is at right angles to the mirror.
• It is possible for a mirror to give real image (for later discussion).
• If its an extended object, every point on the extended object produces
a corresponding point Image.
 INCLINED MIRRORS
• Consider two mirrors at 90๐ to each other;

Three images formed

I1 is formed by single reflection out mirror M1

I2 is formed by single reflection out mirror M2
I3 by reflection of M1 and M2
• Two mirrors at 60o to each other form five images

Five images formed

• It can be shown that number of images formed is given by:

360 360
−1 where Q is such that is an Integer.
𝑄 𝑄
 CURVED MIRRORS
• Two types of spherical mirrors
➢ Concave
➢ Convex
Terms for both concave and convex mirrors:

▪ Point C is the centre of curvature of the mirror

▪ Point, P is centre of mirror and is called Pole
▪ The line passing through CP is called the Principal axis
▪ AB is the aperture of the mirror
 CONCAVE MIRROR
▪ Narrow beam of light parallel to
the principal axis, is reflected so
that all rays converge to a point F
on the principal axis.
▪ F is the principal focus of the
mirror and is real focus since light
actually passes through it. e.g.
used in car head lamps
CONVEX MIRROR
▪ Narrow beam of rays, parallel and
near to the principal axis, falling
on a convex mirror is reflected to
form a divergent beam which
appears to come from point F
behind the mirror.
▪ F is a virtual principal focus.
• Consider rays which are close to the principal axis i.e. paraxial rays →
consider mirrors of small aperture.
➢ The distance CP = radius of curvature, r
➢ The distance FP is called focal length, f

𝑟
𝑓=
2
 IMAGES IN SPHERICAL MIRRORS
• The position of the image formed by a spherical mirror and its
nature depends on the distance of the object from the mirror.
• Information about the image can be obtained by
➢ Using ray diagrams
➢ Mirror formulae
A. RAY DIAGRAMS
• Assume paraxial rays (i.e. assume small objects on the principal
axes of mirrors of small aperture).
• To construct the Image, two of the following three rays are drawn
from top of the object:
1) A ray parallel to the principal axis which offer reflection actually
passes through the principal focus or appears to diverge from it.
2) A ray through the principal focus which is reflected parallel to the
principal axis i.e. a ray travelling the reverse path to that in (1).
3) A ray through the centre of curvature which strikes the mirror
normally and is reflected back along the same path.
• Since assumed paraxial rays, the mirror can be represented by
straight line.
Concave mirror

Case 1
➢ Object beyond C
➢ Image is between C and F,
real, inverted and diminished.
Case 2
➢ Object between C and F
➢ Image is beyond C, real,
inverted and magnified.
Case 3
➢ Object at C
➢ Image is at C real, inverted and
of the same size.
Case 4
➢ Object between F and P
➢ Image is behind mirror, virtual,
upright, and magnified.

Note:
➢ If the object is at infinity, a real image is formed at F.
➢ Conversely an object at F gives a real image at infinity.
Convex mirror

➢ No matter where the object is,

➢ the image is always virtual, upright and diminished.
B. MIRROR FORMULA
• A ray OM from a point object O on the principal axis is reflected at M
so that the angles  made by the incident and reflected rays with the
normal CM are equal. A ray OP strikes the mirror normally and is
reflected back along PO.
• Intersection I of PO and MI (reflected rays) give a real point image.
• Let angles ,, , be as shown
=+ →  = −
In ∆CMI,  =  +  →  = −

∴ − = −
→ 2 =  +  … . . (∗)
• If the mirror is of small aperture the rays are paraxial, M will
be close to P and ,  and , are small
MP
 = tan  = OP = object distance
OP
MP
 = tan  = CP = radius of curvature
CP
MP
 = tan  = IP = image distance
IP
 • Substitute in ∗ i. e. : 2 =  + 

2MP MP MP
= +
CP IP OP

2 1 1
= +
CP IP OP

• Letting u = object distance, v = image distance, r = radius of

curvature
• Then
1 1 2
+ =
v u 𝑟
• But, 𝑟 = 2𝑓
• Therefore,
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓
• Sign convention:
➢ A real object or image distance is +ve
➢ A virtual object or image distance is –ve
This applies also to any convex mirror. (NOTE: Use the sign
convention

Magnification (m)

image height h
• M= =
object height h′

• It can be shown that,

v
M=−
u
Example 6: Images Formed by a Concave Mirror
A certain concave spherical mirror has a focal length of 10.0 cm. (a)
Locate the image and find the magnification for an object distance of 25.0
cm. Determine whether the image is real or virtual, inverted or upright,
and larger or smaller. Do the same for object distances of (b) 10.0 cm
and (c) 5.00cm
Solution
a) Given f = + 10 cm (concave mirror), u = + 25 cm, v = ?
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓

1 1 1
+ =
v 25 cm 10 cm

v = + 16.7 cm
Because v is +ve, the image is in front of the mirror and is real

v 16.7 cm
M=− =− = −0.668
u 10 cm
Because M =< 1, the image is smaller than the object
and inverted because M is negative. (See Fig. aside)
Solution contd/…
b) Given f = + 10 cm, u = + 10 cm (the object is at the focal point) v = ?
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓

1 1 1
+ =
v 10 cm 10 cm

1 1 1
= − =0
v 10 cm 10 cm

→v=∞

v
Since M = − the magnification is infinite also.
u
Solution contd/…
c) Given f = + 10 cm, u = + 5 cm, v = ?
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓

1 1 1
+ =
v 5 cm 10 cm

v = -10 cm
Because v is -ve, the image is virtual (behind the mirror)

v −10 cm
M=− =− = 2.0
u 5 cm
Because M > 1, the image is larger than the object (magnified by factor
of 2)
and upright because M is positive. (See Fig. aside)
Example 7: Images Formed by a Convex Mirror
An object 3.00 cm high is placed 20.0 cm from a convex mirror with a
focal length of 8.00 cm. Find (a) the position of the image, (b) the
magnification of the mirror, and (c) the height of the image.

Solution
a) Given f = − 8 cm (convex mirror), u = + 20 cm, v = ?
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓

1 1 1
+ =
v 20 cm − 8 cm

v = − 5.71 cm (image is virtual or behind mirror)

b) Magnification:

v − 5.71 cm
M = −u = − = 0.286
10 cm
c) Height:
h
M = − → h′ = hM = (3.0cm)(0.286) = 0.858 (image is upright)
h′
 LENSES
• Two types:
➢ Convex – thicker in the middle than at the edges
➢ Concave –thinner in the middle than at the edges
• Convex lens is a converging lens
• Concave lens is a diverging lens
• Principal axis of a spherical lens is the line joining the centers of
curvature of its two surfaces.
• Principal focus, F of a thin lens is a point of the principal axis towards
which all paraxial rays, parallel to the principal axis, converge in the
case of convex lens or from which they appear to diverge in the case
of a concave lens after refraction.
• Distance FP is the focal length.
• A plane containing F, perpendicular to the axis is known as the focal
plane.
 IMAGE FORMATION BY LENSES
• The position and nature of image can be found by using
➢ Ray diagrams
➢ Simple formula for the lens
A. RAY DIAGRAMS
• To construct the Image of a small object far to the axis two of the
following rays are needed:
1) A ray parallel to the principal axis which after refraction passes
through the principal focus or appears to diverge from it.
2) A ray through the principal focus which is refracted parallel to the
principal axis.
3) A ray through the centre of the lens (called the optical centre) which
continues straight undeviated.
Convex lens
Case 1

• The Image is real Inverted and diminished

❑ Case 2: When object is at 2f, The image is real, inverted and same
size as the object.

❑ Case 3: When object is between 2f and f, the image is, real, inverted
and magnified

❑ Case 4: When object is at f, the image is at infinity, magnified real and

inverted.

Take note of diagrams for each of these cases!

Concave lens

• Image is virtual, erect, diminished

B. LENS FORMULA

• If u = object distance, v = image distance, F = focal length for

the lens
• Then it can be shown that
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓

Magnification (m)
image height h
• M= =
object height h′

• It can be shown that,

v
M=
u
Example 8: Images Formed by a Converging Lens
A converging lens has a focal length of 30 cm. An object is
situated at a distance of 20 cm to the left of this lens.
a) Where is the image formed?
b) Calculate the magnification.
Solution
a) Given f = +30 cm (convex lens), u = +20 cm, v = ?
1 1 1
+ =
v u 𝑓

1 1 1
+ =
v 20 cm 30 cm

v = − 60 cm (v is -ve, the image is virtual)

b) Magnification:
v − 60.0 cm
M= = = −3
u 20 cm
(Because M is –ve, the image is inverted
And because M > 1, the image is larger than the object)
Reading assignment:

PRISMS,
REFRACTION THROUGH PRISM
DEVIATION BY PRISM
DISPERSION BY PRISM
 THE END OF
Introduction to
Vibrations, Waves and
Geometric Optics