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This document summarizes an experiment to measure the focal lengths of two lenses: a double convex lens and a plano convex lens. The experiment involved placing each lens and a light source in front of a screen and measuring the object and image distances to obtain seven data points per lens. Linear regression was used to calculate the focal length from these data points, giving 47mm ± 0.5mm for the double convex lens and 119mm ± 0.3mm for the plano convex lens. Sources of error are discussed.

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Rey Dentine
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38 views

Lab 2 Post

This document summarizes an experiment to measure the focal lengths of two lenses: a double convex lens and a plano convex lens. The experiment involved placing each lens and a light source in front of a screen and measuring the object and image distances to obtain seven data points per lens. Linear regression was used to calculate the focal length from these data points, giving 47mm ± 0.5mm for the double convex lens and 119mm ± 0.3mm for the plano convex lens. Sources of error are discussed.

Uploaded by

Rey Dentine
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PostLab 2 - Determining focal length

Name: Zeng Ruizi, Rey Student No.: 37745114 PHYS 153 Section Number: L2G Laboratory Partners Name: Omar AliQazi Hours spent after laboratory session preparing this writeup: 5 hr January 22, 2012

Objective

Task-2: To measure the focal lengths of two lenses (double convex lens and Plano convex lens).

Apparatus Provided
1. Two lenses (double convex lens and Plano convex lens) with dierent focal lengths. 2. A long rule 3. A light source 4. A screen

Procedure
1. Place the light source, the double convex lens and the screen (in this order) on the long rule. 2. Adjust the screen until a focused image is formed on it. 3. Read and record the object distance and image distance o the rule. 4. Repeat step 2 and 3 six more times to obtain a total seven dierent sets of image distance/object distance readings. 5. Repeate step 2 to 4 for the Plano convex lens.

Figure 1: Setup of the experiment

Results
Object distance(S)/(mm) 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 double convex lens - Image distance(S1)/(mm) 61 58 55 54 53 52.5 52 Plano convex lens - Image distance(S2)/(mm) 336 249 211 192 178 170 164

Trial 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Table 1: Uncertainty: +/- 0.5mm

For each lens, data is taken on the interval [200, 500] with 50mm per step for a total of 7 readings.

Calculation and Uncertainty Analysis

Now, all tools/equations needed will be listed before proceeding to the actual calculation. There will be three equations all together; One relates the focal length to object distance and image distance, another relates the uncertainty of each trial to their measurements, and the last one relates the average uncertainty to all the uncertainties in each measurement. After all the tools needed are derived, we will proceed onto calculations. Equation relating the focal length to image distance (S) and Object distance(S) is as follow: 1 1 1 = + f S S Rearranging the equation gives: SS (1) S+S Use a well-known, simplied version of the general rule to derive the equation for uncertainty in S: f= S = S = 1 2 lowerlimit2 + upperlimit2
2

1 2

1 2

1 2 2

Since S is measured with the same instrument, the uncertainty in S is stmmetrical with that in S. Thus: 2

1 2 2 To nd an expression for the uncertainty, take partial derivative of equtaion 1. Using the general expression, the uncertainty in focal length, f, can be expressed as: S = (f ) = Since, f = S f = S then, S 1 2 (f ) = 2 S+S nally, 1 S 2 S+S
4 4 2

f S S

f S S

S S+S S S+S

S S+S

f =

S S+S

(2)

To calculate the average uncertainty, divide the sum of the error of each trial, obtained from equation 2 by the number of trials. favg = 1 fi n i=1
n

(3)

where n represent the number of trials taken, which is 7 in this case. Next, analysis will be broken into two parts. First part will focus on the double convex lens and second part Plano convex lens. Equation 1 of each lens will be plotted using least-regression method. The slope of the line will represent the focal length, f, for that lens. Equation 2 will be used to calculate uncertainty in focal length in each trial. Finally, equation 3 will be used to calculate average error in focal length for the lens in consideration.

5.1

Double Convex Lens

The least-squared regression plot for this lens is as follows:

Figure 2: LSR of double convex lens has the slope 47.30

Thus, the optimum/average focal length of this double convex lens is 47mm. Trial 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Error/(mm) 0.417 0.467 0.505 0.513 0.551 0.567 0.580

Table 2: The average error is 0.5mm.

Combining the two results above, the focal length for the double convex lens is: 47mm 0.5mm

5.2

Plano Convex Lens

The least-squared regression plot for this lens is as follows:

Figure 3: LSR of Plano convex lens has the slope 119.25

Thus, the optimum/average focal length of this double convex lens is 119mm. Trial 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Error/(mm) 0.295 0.250 0.272 0.308 0.345 0.376 0.403

Table 3: The average error is 0.3mm.

Combining the two results above, the focal length for the Plano convex lens is: 119mm 0.3mm

Conclusion and discussion

The average of the focal lengths is represented above as an estimate to the focal lengths of the double and plano convex lenses. However, given that this is the average, it may not be an accurate representation of the actual focal length. One reason for error lies in the light source. When a sharp image is form on the screen, there is no noticeble dierence if the screen is a little bit o the mark. Hence, the exact position where the sharp image is formed cannot be determined. 5

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