Unit 2

MODULE

3 LIGHT: MIRRORS & LENSES

Reflection, The bouncing off of light rays when it hits a surface like a plane
mirror.

In plane mirrors, the image appears as if it is behind the mirror but

actually not, so the image is virtual. The value therefore of image
distance, q is negative. The height of the image, h’ in plane mirrors is
always the same as the height of the object, thus its magnification, M
is 1.

Two Laws of Reflection:

o The normal line, incident ray, and the reflected ray lie on the same
plane.
o The angle incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Figure 1. Reflection of Light Ray on a Plane Mirror

Figure 2. The two types of reflections

Figure 3. Types of spherical mirrors

A. Incident Ray
- The ray of light approaching the mirror is represented by an
arrow approaching an optical element like mirrors.
B. Reflected Ray
- The ray of light which leaves the mirror and is represented by
an arrow pointing away from the mirror.
C. Normal Line
- An imaginary line (labeled N=Normal in Figure 1) that can be
drawn perpendicular to the surface of the mirror at the point of
incidence where the ray strikes the mirror.
Types of Reflection:

D. Specular/Regular Reflection
- This is a reflection of light on smooth surfaces such as mirrors
or a calm body of water. An example of this is the image of the
Mayon volcano on calm water shown in Figure 8b.

E. Diffused/Irregular Reflection.
- This is a reflection of light on rough surfaces such as clothing,
paper, wavy water, and the asphalt roadway. An example of
this is the image of a mountain on a wavy body of water as
shown in Figure 9b.

Reflection on Spherical Mirrors

A curved mirror is a reflecting surface in which its surface is a section of

sphere. There are two kinds of curved mirrors, the concave and the convex
mirrors. A spoon is a kind of a curved mirror with both concave and convex
surfaces.

Two Kinds of Spherical Mirrors:

F. Concave Mirror
- It is a curved mirror in which the reflective surface bulges
away from the light source.
- It is called Converging Mirror because the parallel incident
rays converge or meet/intersect at a focal point after reflection.

G. Convex Mirror
- It is a curved mirror in which the reflective surface bulges
towards the light source.
- It is called Diverging Mirror because the parallel incident rays
diverge after reflection. When extending the reflected rays
behind the mirror, the rays converge at the focus behind the
mirror.
The ‘Four Principal Rays’ in Curved Mirrors
Images formed in a curved mirror can be located and described
through ray diagramming. The P – F ray, F – P ray, C – C ray, and
the V ray are the ‘Four Principal Rays’ in curve mirrors. These
rays, applied for concave and convex mirrors, are presented in
Table 5.
In determining the position and nature of the image graphically, the ‘Four
Principal Rays’ are used. Ray diagramming is used in the graphical method
of locating the image. The following are ray diagramming steps using the
‘Four Principal Rays’ in determining the position and the nature of the
image of an object formed by concave mirror and convex mirror.

1. From the object, draw the first ray (P – F ray). From the same point on the
object, draw the second (F – P ray), third (C – C ray), and fourth (V ray)
rays.

2. The intersection of the four rays is the image point corresponding to the
object point. For example, if you started diagramming from the tip of the
arrow-shaped object, the intersection of the reflected rays is also the tip of
the arrow-shaped image. Thus, you can determine completely the position
and characteristics of the image.

3. For a convex mirror, light rays diverge after reflection and converge from
a point that seems to be behind the mirror (virtual focus); but the procedure
for locating images is the same as for concave mirror.

The Mirror Equation

Ray diagrams provide useful information about the

image formed, yet fail to provide the information in a
quantitative form. Ray diagrams will help you
determine the approximate location and size of the
image, but it will not provide you with the numerical
information about image distance and object size. To
determine the exact location and size of the image
formed in a curved mirror, an equation is needed. The
 following derivation shows the mirror equation using
the Figure 15 below.

From the first and fourth rays, similar triangles are

seen in the figure below.

From the height of the object, h and the

height of the image, h’ shown in Fig. 15
(a), you can arrive at the first equation,

Similarly, as shown in Fig. 15 (b), the

second equation can be derived

Combining Equations 1 and 2, you will

get

Rearranging Equation 3, you will arrive at

And finally,

Where:

f = focal length or distance from the mirror and the

focal point, F

p = distance of the object from the mirror

q = distance of the image from the mirror

The equation above, called mirror equation, applies to both

concave and convex mirrors. However, for all location of
objects in front of the convex mirror, the image always
appears as if it is located behind the mirror. It is therefore
considered that the value of image distance, q is negative. In
the same manner, the focus, F in a convex mirror is located on
the other side of the mirror (behind the mirror), thus, the focal
length, f is also negative.

Refraction of Light in Lenses

 The ancient Greeks used the concept of light refraction in their
living like using a lens to focus light rays. A lens is a transparent
material made of glass or plastic that refracts light rays and focuses
(or appear to focus) them at a point.

Types of Lenses

H. Convex Lens

It is thicker in the center

than edges.

It forms real images and

virtual images depending
on position of the object.

It is also called Converging

Lens because the light that
passes through it tends to
converge at a particular
point called the focal point.

I. Concave Lens
It is thicker at the edges and
thinner in the center.

It forms upright and reduced

images.

It is also called Diverging

Lens because the light that
passes through it tends to
diverge at a particular point
called the focal point.

Using a convex lens, you observed that images are formed on the screen.
Images formed on a screen, after refraction, are called real images because
they are formed by the intersection of real refracted rays. A virtual image, on
the other hand, does not form on a screen because a virtual image is formed
by the intersection of non-real rays.

Images Formed by Lenses

In locating the image formed in lenses graphically, two important points are
considered. The following important points are enumerated below.

• Vertex, V – The geometric

center of the lens.

• Focal point/ Focus, F – A point

where light rays converge (or
appears to converge) when parallel light rays pass through a lens. Its
distance from the vertex is called the focal length.

The ‘Three Most Usesful Rays’ in Lenses

Images formed in a lens can be located and described through ray

diagramming. The following three most useful rays for convex and concave
lenses are presented below.

To graphically determine the position and kind of image formed, the ray
diagram can be used. Consider the following steps using the three major
rays described above:

1. From the object, draw the first ray (P–F ray). From the same point on the
object, draw the second (F–P ray), and third (V ray) rays.

2. The intersection of the rays is the image point corresponding to the object
point. For example, if you started diagramming from the tip of the arrow-
shaped object, the intersection of the refracted rays is also the tip of the
arrow-shaped image. Thus, you can determine completely the position and
characteristics of the image.

3. For a concave lens, light rays diverge from a virtual focus; but the
procedure for locating images is the same as for convex lenses.

Images Formed by Curved Mirrors

Center of Curvature, C – the center of the

sphere of which the mirror is part. Its
distance from the mirror is known as the
radius.
Vertex, V – the center of the mirror.
Focal Point/Focus, F – the point between the
center of the curvature and vertez. Its
distance from the mirror is known as the
focal point, f.

The Lens Equation

Ray diagram does not provide exact location and

numerical information about the image formed in
lenses, as in the image formed in curved mirrors
through ray diagram. To determine the exact location
and size of the image formed in lenses, a lens equation
is needed. The following derivation shows the lens
equation using the results from ray diagram.

From the first and third rays, similar triangles are seen in the
diagram.

From the height of the object, h

and the height of the image, h’
shown in Figure 20 (a), you can
arrive at the first equation,
 Similarly, as shown in Figure 20(b), the second
equation can be derived

Combining Equations 1 and

2, you will get

Rearranging Equation 3, you will arrive at

and finally,

where:

f = focal length or distance from the mirror and the

focal point,F

p = distance of the object from the lens

q = distance of the image from the lens

The equation above, called mirror equation, applies to

both convex and concave lenses. However, in the case
of the concave lens, the image will always be located on
the side where the object is also located. It is therefore
considered that the value of image distance, q is
negative. The focal length, f in a concave lens is
negative while positive in a convex lens.

J. Center of Curvature
 - C – the center of the sphere of which the mirror is part. Its
distance from the mirror is known as the radius.
K. Vertex
- V – the center of the mirror.
L. Focal Point/Focus
- F – the point between the center of the curvature and vertex.
M. Focal Length
- Its distance from the mirror is known as the focal point, f.

V. Summary/Synthesis/Feedback

• Reflection is the bouncing of light when it hits a surface.

• Two Laws of Reflection:

The normal line, incident ray, and the reflected ray lie on the same
plane.
The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

• The reversal effect is the inversion of the image from left to right.

• Mirrors at an angle produce multiple images.

• Two Types of Reflection:

Specular/ Regular Reflection – reflection of light on smooth

surfaces such as mirrors or a calm body of water.
Diffuse/ Irregular Reflection – reflection of light on rough surfaces
such as clothing, paper, and the asphalt roadway.

• A curved mirror is a reflecting surface in which its surface is a section of a

sphere.

• Two Kinds of Spherical Mirrors:

The Concave Mirror or Converging Mirror

The Convex Mirror or Diverging Mirror

• Important Points in Ray Diagramming:

Center of Curvature, C – the center of the sphere in which the

mirror is part. Its distance from the mirror is known as the radius.
Vertex, V – the center of the mirror.
Focal Point/ Focus, F – the point between the center of curvature
and vertex. Its distance from the mirror is known as the focal
length, f.

• The ‘Four Principal Rays’ in Curved Mirrors

The P – F Ray is ray of light parallel to the principal axis, is

reflected passing through the principal focus, F (concave mirror),
and as if passing through the principal focus, F(convex mirror).
 The F – P Ray is a ray of light passing through F (concave mirror)
or directed towards F (convex mirror), is reflected parallel to the
principal axis.
The C – C Ray is ray of light passing through the center of
curvature, C (concave mirror) or directed towards the center of
curvature, C (convex mirror) reflects back along its own path.
V Ray is a ray of light directed to the vertex reflects at equal angle
from the principal axis.

• Mirror Equation:

• A lens is a transparent material made of glass or plastic that refracts and

focuses (or that appears to focus) light rays at a point.

• Two Types of Lenses: o Convex Lens or Converging Lens o Concave Lens

or Diverging Lens

• The ‘Three Most Useful Rays’ in Lenses:

The P – F Ray is ray of light parallel to the principal axis is

refracted passing through the principal focus, F behind the lens
(convex) or as if passing through the principal focus, F in front of
the lens (concave).
F – P Ray. A ray of light passing through F in front of the
lens(convex) or directed towards F behind the lens(concave) is
refracted parallel to the principal axis.
V Ray. A ray of light passing through the exact center of the lens
(Vertex) continue to travel in the same direction.

• The Lens Equation:

• The Magnification Equation:

References:
 10 Science Book