REFRACTION LESSON

The Anatomy of a Lens

Now suppose that the rays of light are traveling through the focal point on the way to
the lens. These rays of light will refract when they enter the lens and refract when they leave
the lens.
As the light rays enter into the denser lens material, they refract towards the normal;
A lens is merely a carefully ground or molded piece of transparent material which refracts and as they exit into the less dense air, they refract away from the normal.
light rays in such as way as to form an image. These specific rays will exit the lens traveling parallel to the principal axis.
If a symmetrical lens is thought of as being a slice of a sphere, then there would be a line
passing through the center of the sphere and attaching to the lens in the exact center of the
lens. This imaginary line is known as the principal axis.
A lens also has an imaginary Lens
vertical axis which bisects the
symmetrical lens into halves.
If the light rays converge (as in
a converging lens), then they
will converge to a point. This
point is known as the focal point
of the converging lens.
Unlike mirrors, lenses can allow
light to pass through either face, depending on where the incident rays are coming from.
Subsequently, every lens has two possible focal points. A lens also has an imaginary point
which we refer to as the 2F point. This is the point on the principal axis which is twice as far A second generalization for the refraction of light by a convex lens can be added to the first
from the vertical axis as the focal point is. generalization.

Refraction Rule for a Converging Lens Refraction Rules for a Converging Lens
Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis of a converging lens will refract through • Any incident ray traveling through the focal point on the way to the lens will
the lens and travel through the focal point on the opposite side of the lens. refract through the lens and travel parallel to the principal axis.
Furthermore, to simplify the construction of ray Step-by-Step Method for Drawing Ray Diagrams
diagrams, we will avoid refracting each light ray twice - The method of drawing ray diagrams for double convex lens for an object located beyond the 2F
upon entering and emerging from the lens. Instead, point:
we will continue the incident ray to the vertical axis of 1. Pick a point on the top of the object and draw three
the lens and refract the light at that point. incident rays traveling towards the lens.
Using a straight edge, accurately draw one ray
so that it passes exactly through the focal point
Third Rule of Refraction for Lenses on the way to the lens.
The third ray which we will investigate is the ray which Draw the second ray such that it travels exactly
passes through the precise center of the lens - through parallel to the principal axis.
the point where the principal axis and the vertical axis Draw the third incident ray such that it travels
intersect. directly to the exact center of the lens.
This ray will refract as it enters and refract as it exits 2. Once these incident rays strike the lens, refract
the lens, but the net affect of this dual refraction is that them according to the three rules of refraction for
the path of the light ray is not changed. converging lenses.
The ray that passes through the focal point on
the way to the lens will refract and travel parallel
to the principal axis. Use a straight edge to
accurately draw its path.
The ray which traveled parallel to the principal
axis
on
the way to the lens will refract and
travel through the focal point.
And the ray which traveled to the exact
center of the lens will continue in
the same direction.
3. Mark the image of the top of the object.
Of course, the rest of the object has an
Converging Lens Image Formation
image as well and it can be found by
Converging lenses can produce both real and virtual images.
applying the same three steps to
The process by which images are formed for lenses is the same as the process by which images
another chosen point.
are formed for plane and curved mirrors.
4. Repeat the process for the bottom of the object.
Images are formed at locations where any observer is sighting as they view the image of
If the bottom of the object lies upon the principal
the object through the lens.
axis (as it does in this example), then the image of
So if the path of several light rays through a lens is traced, each of these light rays will intersect at
this point will also lie upon the principal axis and
a point upon refraction through the lens.
be the same distance from the mirror as the image
Each observer must sight in the direction of this point in order to view the image of the of the top of the object. At this point the entire
object. image can be filled in.
What do you notice about the image?
The image will be inverted, reduced in size (smaller than
the object), and real.
STUDENTS: Draw diagrams for objects located at 2F point and when the object is located Ray Diagram for Object Located at the Focal Point
between the 2F point and the focal point.
When a ray diagram is used for this case, an immediate difficulty is encountered.
Ray Diagram for Object Located in Front of the Focal Point The diagram below shows two incident rays and their corresponding refracted
rays.

What happens when the object is located less than one focal length form the converging lens?
For the case of the object located at the focal point (F), the light rays neither
converge nor diverge after refracting through the lens.
Observe that in this case the light rays diverge after
refracting through the lens. When refracted rays
What does this mean?
diverge, a virtual image is formed.
The light rays will not converge to form a real image; nor can they be extended
The image location can be found by tracing all light backwards on the opposite side of the lens to intersect to form a virtual image.
rays backwards until they intersect. Therefore, there is no image!!
For every observer, the refracted rays would seem
to be diverging from this point; thus, the point of
intersection of the extended refracted rays is the WHY?
image point.
Since light does not actually pass through this There is no location in space at which an observer can sight from which all the
point, the image is referred to as a virtual image. refracted rays appear to be coming.

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Its image is an upright and enlarged image which is located on the object's side of
the lens.
 REFRACTION LESSON HOMEWORK
1. Identify the means by which you can use a converging lens to form a real
image.

2. Identify the means by which you can use a converging lens to form a virtual
image.

3. A converging lens is sometimes used as a magnifying glass. Explain how this

4. Draw diagrams for the folowing object locations, identify the image location
in relation to the focal points, size, orientation (upright or reversed), and if its
a real or virtual image.

5. Eight different object locations are drawn in red and labeled with a number;
the corresponding image locations are drawn in blue and labeled with the
identical number.
REFRACTION LESSON 1 HOMEWORK KEY Case 4

1. This only occurs if the object is located at a position of more than one focal
length from the lens.
2. A converging lens will only produce a virtual image if the object is located in
front of the focal point.
3. A converging lens produced a virtual image when the object is placed in front
of the focal point. For such a position, the image is magnified and upright,
thus allowing for easier viewing. Case 5
4. Answer:

Case 1

5.

Case 2

Case 3