JUNIOR FRESH LABORATORY REPORT SHEET

WEEK TITLE OF EXPERIMENT

6th – 10th December Thin Lenses

STUDENT NAME STUDENT NUMBER

Sasha McCluskey 21366200

PARTNER’S NAME CLASS & DAY

Rónán O’Reilly & Karen McAuley JF Dental Science

ABSRACT
The aim of this experiment was to (1) use a convex / converging lens to produce real
and virtual images, (2) explore how lens characteristics and the positioning of the
object affects the images produced and (3) to determine the focal length of the
lenses, which was calculated as 10.2±0.137 cm and 11.63 ± 8.37 cm

BASIC THEORY & EQUATIONS

1 1 1
Thin lenses follow this lens equation: = + where 𝑓 is the focal length of the lens,
𝑓 𝑠 𝑠′
𝑠 is the distance between object and lens and 𝑠’ is the lens-image distance. 𝑓 is positive
for a convex lens and negative for a concave lens. A real image is formed when 𝑠’ is
positive, a virtual image is formed when 𝑠’ is negative. A real image is formed by the
converging of light rays onto an object, a virtual image is formed by the divergence
of light rays from a focal point.

In this experiment, the object can be observed to shrink or be magnified by the lens.
𝑦′ 𝑠′
Magnification is given by the equation: 𝑚 = 𝑦
= − 𝑠 . The negative sign derives from
the inversion of the image.

To form a real image a convex lens was placed in between an object and a screen, the
image was inverted. To form a virtual image, two convex lenses were placed between
the object and the screen, the image was upright.
SKETCH OF APPARATUS & OTHER DETAILS

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
Part 1: The object with a light source was set up at 10cm and the lens was set up 15cm
away from it. The screen was then adjusted until the image was sharply visible on the
screen. The values for s, s’ and the size of the image was recorded. This was then
repeated for object distances (s) of 20, 25, 30, 35 40 and 45cm. 1/s and 1/s’ were
calculated and recorded in a table on LoggerPro and a graph was plotted. Magnification
was then calculated and a graph of m and s’/s was plotted.

Part2: The convex lens is placed in the centre of the track, and the object and screen
are then moved so a focused image is produced. The distance from the lens to the
object is a reference point. The lens and the screen wont be moved for the remainder
of the experiment. Record the size of the image on the screen. Then set up the
magnifying lens in line with the object and the screen, and move the object and the
magnifier until a clear image is produced on the screen. Record the object s and image
s’ distances, as well as the size of the image produced. Repeat this for at least 6
different object distances. 1/s and 1/s’ were again calculated by LoggerPro and a
graph was plotted. Magnification was then calculated and a graph of m and s’/s was
plotted.
EXPERIMENTAL DATA (show labelled columns of representative data)
Part 1 :
S / cm ±0.1 S’ / cm ±0.1 1/s / cm-1 1/s’ / cm-1 magnification S’/s Image size / cm ±0.2
15 31 0.067 0.032 2.167 2.067 3.9
20 20 0.050 0.050 1.000 1.00 1.8
25 17 0.040 0.059 0.722 0.680 1.3
30 15.45 0.033 0.065 0.556 0.515 1
35 14.25 0.029 0.070 0.444 0.407 0.8
40 13.6 0.025 0.074 0.333 0.340 0.6
45 13 0.022 0.077 0.306 0.289 0.55

Part 2 :
S / cm ±0.1 S’ / cm ±0.1 1/s / cm-1 1/s’ / cm-1 magnification S’/s Image size / cm ±0.2
5.35 5.35 0.187 0.187 0,556 1.000 1
6.3 8.8 0.159 0.114 0.611 1.397 1.1
8.85 13.85 0.113 0.072 0.722 1.565 1.3
10.35 20.35 0.097 0.049 0.806 1.966 1.45
11.25 36.25 0.089 0.038 1.000 2.333 1.8
12.05 42.05 0.083 0.031 1.111 2.660 2
DATA ANALYSIS (include only a representative sample for large datasets)

1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑓
= 𝑠 + 𝑠′ , rearranging to give: 𝑠′ = − 𝑠 + 𝑓 (y=mx+c) where m is -1.

1
𝑓
= 0.09838 ± 0.000644 𝑐𝑚−1 therefore 𝑓 = 10.2 𝑐𝑚, which is close to the focal
length of the lens which was given as 10cm.

The gradient of this graph is 0.9581 ± 0.01549, which is very close to 1. Inferring
the calculated gradient (s’/s) is the same as the measured magnification.

1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑓
= 𝑠 + 𝑠′ , rearranging to give: 𝑠′ = − 𝑠 + 𝑓 (y=mx+c) where m is -1.

1
= 0.08597 ± 0.01673 𝑐𝑚−1 therefore 𝑓 = 11.63 𝑐𝑚, which is not too close to the
𝑓
real focal length of the lens which is 20cm. This error could be due to reasons
mentioned in the analysis of accuracy section.
The gradient of this graph is 2.790 ± 0.2316 . It should be around 1, since the
calculated and measured magnification should be the same. Again this could be due to
experimental errors mentioned in the analysis of accuracy section.
ANALYSIS OF ACCURACY & UNCERTAINTY (include only a representative sample for large datasets)

Errors in this experiment could be due to a number of things.

It may be hard to determine when the image is most clear, especially in part 2 when
the magnifying lens was introduced. There could also be human errors in reading the
rulers as well as apparatus errors of the ruler.

Real images
Δs Δs’ Δ1/s Δ1/s’ Focal Δ1/f Δf
length
0.006 0.00323 0.0045 0.00010336 10.1 0.00412 0.42
0.005 0.005 0.0025 0.00025 10 0.00275 0.275
0.004 0.00588 0.0016 0.00347 10.1 0.00507 0.517
0.003 0.00647 0.0009 0.000421 10.2 0.00132 0.137
0.0028 0.00702 0.0000812 0.00049 10.1 0.00057 0.0582
0.0025 0.00735 0.0000625 0.000544 10.1 0.00061 0.0622
0.0022 0.00769 0.0000484 0.000593 10.1 0.00064 0.0653

Virtual images
Δs Δs’ Δ1/s Δ1/s’ Focal length Δ1/f Δf
0.019 0.019 0.00036 0.00036 2.67 0.00072 0.00513
0.0159 0.0114 0.00025 0.00013 3.66 0.00038 0.0051
0.0113 0.00722 0.00013 0.000052 5.4 0.000182 0.0053
0.00966 0.0049 0.000093 0.000024 6.85 0.000117 0.0055
0.0089 0.0028 0.000079 0.0000078 7.87 0.0000868 0.0054
0.0083 0.0024 0.000069 0.00000576 8.77 0.000075 0.0058
DECLARATION
I have read and understood the plagiarism provisions as set out in the General Regulations of the College
University Calendar and also completed the Online Tutorial on avoiding plagiarism
(http://tcd-ie.libguides.com/plagiarism/ready-steady-write).

Signature _______sasha mccluskey___________________ Date ___20/12/21________

FINAL RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS (include units and estimate of uncertainty)

In this experiment, the focal lengths of 2 lenses were calculated and it was explored how the
different positioning of the lens aswell as the object and screen affected the image that was
formed. Real images were inverted ad virtual images were not. The focal length of the first
lens was calculated as: 10.2 ± 0.137 cm the focal length for the second lens was calculated as:
11.63 ± 8.37 cm

APPENDICES (list graphs, plots, etc. included in this folder)

Graphs from loggerpro and results tables

Dental relevance: Dentists use concave mirrors when examining the back of peoples teeth so the image is magnified
and upright

MARKERS COMMENTS GRADE

Here the marker will briefly indicate areas requiring improvement.
Reports are marked out of 20 and there is a penalty of minus 4 per week 20/20
and minus 2 if handed up after the first 15 mins of the lab session.