CHAPTER 16 : REFRACTION OF LIGHT AT SPHERICAL SURFACES

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COORDINATE GEOMETRY SIGN CONVECTION FOR MEASURING DISTANCES AND LENGTHS

• All light rays are allowed to fall on refracting surface from left side.
• All distances are measured from the pole of the spherical surface.
• The distances measured in the direction of incident rays are taken positive where-as in opposite
direction are taken as negative.
• The lengths measured upward perpendicular to the principal axis of spherical surfaces is taken positive
while downward are taken negative.
• Focal length and radius of curvature are positive in case of convex lens where-as negative in case of
concave lens.

REFRACTION AT A CONVEX SPHERICAL SURFACE

From the above diagram : --

𝛼 + 𝛾 = 𝑖 & 𝑟 + 𝛽 = 𝛾 or 𝑟 = 𝛾 − 𝛽
According to Snell’s law : --
sin 𝑖
n = or sin i = n sin r
sin 𝑟
Since aperture is very small sin i = i & sin r = r
i= n r & 𝛼 + 𝛾 = n ( 𝛾 − 𝛽)
𝛼 + 𝑛𝛽 = 𝛾 ( 𝑛 − 1) equation 1
Since 𝛼 , 𝛽 & 𝛾 are very small angles, therefore: -
ℎ ℎ ℎ
𝛼 = tan 𝛼 = & 𝛽 = tan 𝛽 = & 𝛾 = tan 𝛾 =
−𝑢 𝑣 𝑅
Putting all values of 𝛼 , 𝛽 & 𝛾 in equation 1 , we get : - -
ℎ ℎ ℎ
+ n = (𝑛−1)
−𝑢 𝑣 𝑅
𝒏 𝟏 𝒏 − 𝟏
- =
𝒗 𝒖 𝑹
𝒏𝟐 𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐 − 𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐
- = ( 1 n2 = )
𝒗 𝒖 𝑹 𝒏𝟏

❖ If the light is going from denser to rarer medium :

𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐 𝒏𝟏 − 𝒏𝟐
• - =
𝒗 𝒖 𝑹
𝟏⁄ 𝟏 𝟏⁄ − 𝟏
• 𝒏
- = 𝒏
𝒗 𝒖 𝑹

LENSES
• It is a transparent medium bounded by two curved surfaces or one curved and one plane.

CLASS XII PHYSICS By KAPIL SHUKLA ( Mo. No. : - 7390858099 ) 1

CHAPTER 16 : REFRACTION OF LIGHT AT SPHERICAL SURFACES
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CONVERGING AND DIVERGING ACTIONS OF LENSES

SOME DEFINATIONS RELATED TO THE CONVEX LENS

Optical centre of thick lens It is a point on principal axis such that emergent ray is parallel to incident
ray
Optical centre of thin lens It is a point on principal axis such that incident ray goes undeviated.
First focus ( principal focus ) It is point on principal axis such that rays after refraction from the lens
becomes parallel to principal axis.
Second focus It is a point on principal axis such that rays parallel to principal axis after
refraction from the lens passes through this point.
Focal length The distance between focus point and optical centre is called focal length.
Focal plane The plane perpendicular to the principal axis and passes from focus point.

REFRACTION OF LIGHT THROUGH THIN LENS : LENS MAKER’S FORMULA

If second surface is absent ( convex spherical surface ) , then we have :

𝑛2 𝑛1 𝑛2 − 𝑛1
- = eqs.1
𝑣′ 𝑢 𝑅1

For refraction at second surface of the lens, I’ acts as a virtual object and I is the real image.
Since rays are going from denser medium to rarer medium :
𝑛1 𝑛2 𝑛1 − 𝑛2
- = eqs.2
𝑣 𝑣 ,− 𝑡 𝑅2

Since lens is thin , t = 0

𝑛1 𝑛2 𝑛1 −𝑛2
- = eqs.3
𝑣 𝑣, 𝑅2

Adding the equations 1 and 3 ; we get –

𝑛1 𝑛1 1 1
- = ( n 2 - n1 ) -
𝑣 𝑢 𝑅1 𝑅2

Dividing the above equation by n1 and using n = n2 / n1 ; we get –

1 1 1 1
- = (n - 1) -
𝑣 𝑢 𝑅1 𝑅2

If the object is at infinity, image will be formed at focus –

1 1 1 1
- = (n - 1) -
𝑓 ∝ 𝑅1 𝑅2
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= ( n - 1 ) -
𝒇 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐

The above equation represents Lens maker’s formula

1 1 1
- =
𝑣 𝑢 𝑓

The above relation is called Gaussian form of a lens equation.

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CHAPTER 16 : REFRACTION OF LIGHT AT SPHERICAL SURFACES
FACTORS AFFECTING THE FOCAL LENGTH OF A LENS
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1. RADII OF CURVATURE :--
• For bi-convex lens R1 is positive & R2 is negative.
• For bi-concave lens R1 is negative & R2 is positive.
• Focal length of a convex lens is positive and that of concave lens is negative.
• Larger the radii of curvature, greater will be the focal length.( focal length of thin lens is larger ).

2. REFRACTIVE INDEX OF LENS : --

• The focal length of a lens is minimum when it is placed in air or vacuum.

• The nature of lens changes if immersed in a medium whose refractive index is greater than that of lens.

IMAGE FORMATION BY THIN LENSES

1. The light ray passing from the optical centre of lens ( convex and concave ) goes undeviated.
2. The light ray parallel to principal axis after refraction passes through a point called focus ( in case of
convex lens ) or appears to diverge from the point called focus ( in case of concave lens ).
3. The light ray coming from the focus after refraction becomes parallel to the principal axis ( in case of
convex lens ) or appears to converge at focus after refraction becomes parallel to principal axis ( in
case of concave lens ).

Note : complete the ray diagrams of convex lens (6) & concave lens (2) for the different position of objects.

LINEAR MAGNIFICATION BY SPHERICAL LENSES

• It is defined as the ratio of size of the image formed by the lens to the size of object, both measured
perpendicular to the principal axis.
𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣 𝑓− 𝑣 𝑓
• Linear magnification m = 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡
= 𝑢
= 𝑓
= 𝑓 + 𝑢

• For convex lens m may be positive or negative ; for concave lens m is always positive.
• Negative m corresponds to real & inverted image ; positive m corresponds to virtual & erect image.

POWER OF A LENS
• Power of a lens is a measure of the deviation produced in the path of light when passes through lens.
1
• Power ( P ) = 𝑓(𝑚)

• S.I. unit of power is Dioptre( D ) . Power is inversely proportional to the focal length.

COMBINED FOCAL LENGTH OF TWO THIN LENSES IN CONTACT

From len’s formula :-
1 1 1
- =
𝑣′ 𝑢 𝑓1

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CHAPTER 16 : REFRACTION OF LIGHT AT SPHERICAL SURFACES
I’ acts as a virtual object for lens L2 2022 - 23
1 1 1
- =
𝑣 𝑣′ 𝑓2

Adding both the above equations , we get : --

1 1 1 1
- = +
𝑣 𝑢 𝑓1 𝑓2
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= +
𝑭 𝒇𝟏 𝒇𝟐
𝑓1 𝑓2
• If one lens is convex and other is concave, then F = 𝑓2 − 𝑓1

➢ If f1 > f2, then F is negative ( combination will behave like concave lens ).
➢ If f1 < f2, then F is positive ( combination will behave like convex lens ).
➢ If f1 = f2, then F is infinite ( combination will behave like transparent glass plate ).
• Combined power P = P1 + P2 & Combined magnification m = m1 X m2

CLASS XII PHYSICS By KAPIL SHUKLA ( Mo. No. : - 7390858099 ) 4