Images Formed by Refraction
Consider two transparent
media having indices of
refraction n1 and n2
The boundary between the
two media is a spherical
surface of radius R
Rays originate from the
object at point O in the
medium with n1
All such rays are refracted
at the spherical surface
and focus at the image
point, I
Images Formed by Refraction, 2
Snell’s law of refraction applied to this ray gives
n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2
Because θ1 and θ2 are assumed to be small, we can use the
small-angle approximation sin θ1 = θ1
and Snell’s law will be:
n1 θ1 = n2 θ2
Images Formed by Refraction, 3
an exterior angle of any triangle equals the sum of the two
opposite interior angles
θ1 = α+ꞵ & ꞵ = θ2+γ
Combining all three expressions and eliminating θ1 and θ2 gives:
n1 α + n2 γ = (n2 - n1) ꞵ
In the small-angle approximation, tan θ ~ θ, so we can write the
approximate relationships from these triangles as follows:
tan α = α = d/p & tan ꞵ = ꞵ = d/R & tan γ = γ = d/q
The relationship between object and image distances can be
given by n n n n
1
2
2 1
p q R
Images Formed by Refraction, 4
The side of the surface in which the light rays
originate is defined as the front side
The other side is called the back side
Real images are formed by refraction in the
back of the surface
Because of this, the sign conventions for q and R
for refracting surfaces are opposite those for
reflecting surfaces
Flat Refracting Surfaces
Problem1
Solution
n1 n2 n2 n1
p q R
Problem 2
A small fish is swimming
at a depth d below the
surface of a pond.
(A) What is the apparent
depth of the fish as viewed
from directly overhead?
(B) If your face is a
distance d above the water
surface, at what apparent
distance above the surface
does the fish see your
face?
Solution
Images from Lenses
Light passing through a lens experiences
refraction at two surfaces
The image formed by one refracting surface
serves as the object for the second surface
Locating the Image Formed by
Thin Lens
The lens has an index of
refraction n and two spherical
surfaces with radii of R1 and R2
R1 is the radius of curvature
of the lens surface that the
light of the object reaches
first
R2 is the radius of curvature
of the other surface
The object is placed at point O
at a distance of p1 in front of
the first surface
Locating the Image Formed by
a Lens, Image From Surface 1
There is an image formed
by surface 1
Since the lens is
surrounded by the air, n1
= 1 and
n1 n2 n2 n1 1 n n 1
p q R p1 q1 R1
If the image due to
surface 1 is virtual, q1 is
negative, and it is positive
if the image is real
Locating the Image Formed by
a Lens, Image From Surface 2
For surface 2, n1 = n and
n2 = 1
The light rays approaching
surface 2 are in the lens and
are refracted into air
Use p2 for the object
distance for surface 2 and
q2 for the image distance
n1 n2 n2 n1 n 1 1 n
p q R p2 q2 R2
Image Formed by a Thin Lens
A thin lens is one whose thickness is small compared
to the radii of curvature
For a thin lens, the thickness, t, of the lens can be
neglected
In this case, p2 = -q1 for either type of image
Then the subscripts on p1 and q2 can be omitted
Image Formed by a Thin Lens
If a virtual image is formed from surface 1, then p2 = -q1 + t
q1 is negative
t is the thickness of the lens
If a real image is formed from surface 1, then p2 = -q1 + t
q1 is positive
Then by adding the equations
1 1 1 1
n 1
p1 q2 R
1 R 2
Lens Makers’ Equation
The focal length of a thin lens is the image
distance that corresponds to an infinite object
distance
This is the same as for a mirror
The lens makers’ equation is
1 1 1 1 1
(n 1)
p q R1 R2 ƒ
Thin Lens Equation
The relationship among the focal length, the
object distance and the image distance is the
same as for a mirror
1 1 1
p q ƒ
This relation is known with “thin lens equation”
Notes on Focal Length and
Focal Point of a Thin Lens
Because light can travel in either direction
through a lens, each lens has two focal points
One focal point is for light passing in one direction
through the lens and one is for light traveling in the
opposite direction
Each focal point is located the same distance
from the lens
Focal Length of a Converging
Lens
The parallel rays pass through the lens and converge
at the focal point
The parallel rays can come from the left or right of the
lens
Focal Length of a Diverging
Lens
The parallel rays diverge after passing through the
diverging lens
The focal point is the point where the rays appear to
have originated
Determining Signs for Thin
Lenses
The front side of the thin
lens is the side of the
incident light
The back side of the lens is
where the light is refracted
into
This is also valid for a
refracting surface
Magnification of Images
Through a Thin Lens
The lateral magnification of the image is
h' q
M
h p
When M is positive, the image is upright and on the
same side of the lens as the object
When M is negative, the image is inverted and on the
side of the lens opposite the object
Ray Diagram for Converging
Lens, p > f
The image is real
The image is inverted
The image is on the back side of the lens
Ray Diagram for Converging
Lens, p < f
The image is virtual
The image is upright
The image is larger than the object
The image is on the front side of the lens
Ray Diagrams for Thin Lenses
– Diverging
For a diverging lens, the following three rays are
drawn:
Ray 1 is drawn parallel to the principal axis and emerges
directed away from the focal point on the front side of the
lens
Ray 2 is drawn through the center of the lens and
continues in a straight line
Ray 3 is drawn in the direction toward the focal point on
the back side of the lens and emerges from the lens
parallel to the principal axis
Ray Diagram for Diverging
Lens
The image is virtual
The image is upright
The image is smaller
The image is on the front side of the lens
