PHY101 General Physics I

Lecture 7
Optics

1
 OPTICS
The behavior and property of electromagnetic waves especially
the (ultraviolet, visible and infrared) light, including its
interactions with matter and the design/constructions of
instrument that used or detect it is explained by a theory called
an Optics.

BOUNDRY BEHAVIOUR
Reflection, Refraction, Diffractions & Interference
✔ Reflection
• We describe the path of light as straight-line rays
• Reflection of a flat surface follows a simple rule:
angle in (incidence) equals angle out (reflection)
angles measured from surface “normal” (perpendicular)
The incident ray, reflected ray and normal to the surface all lie in the same plane,
Mirror is the most common model/material for a specular reflections of light.

surface normal
same exit ray
incident ray angle reflected ray
✔ Refraction
• Light also goes through some things
• Glass, water, eyeball, air
• The presence of material slows light’s progress
• interactions with electrical properties of atoms
• The “light slowing factor” is called the index of refraction
• glass has n = 1.5, meaning that light travels about 1.5 times slower in glass than in
vacuum
• water has n = 1.33
• air has n = 1.00028
• vacuum is n = 1.00000 (speed of light at full capacity)
• n is the ratio of speed of light c in vacuum to the speed v in the material. n=c/v
 Refraction at a plane surface
• Light bends at interface between refractive indices
• the more the bends, the larger the difference in refractive index

n1 = 1.0
n2 = 1.5

B
✔ Diffraction
Diffraction involves a change in direction of waves as they pass through an opening or around a
barrier in their path. The amount of diffraction (the sharpness of the bending) increases with
increasing wavelength and decreases with decreasing wavelength. In fact, when the wavelength of
the wave is smaller than the obstacle or opening, no noticeable diffraction occurs. The tendency of a
light rays emitted from a finite source or passing through a finite aperture to spread out as it
propagates is defined as Diffractions of light. These results from interference

✔ Interference
When light of the same frequency combine to reinforce or cancel each other, the amplitude of the
resultant wave is equal to the sum of the combining wave.
 Spherical & Parabolic mirrors
• The principal focus (f) of a mirror is the point where rays to and very close
to the central or optical axis of the mirror are focused.
• It is located on the optical axis and midway between the center of
curvature (C) and the mirror
• Spherical mirrors do not focus everything at one point - spherical
aberration. Use for long and Short sightness.
• Parabolic mirrors DO focus everything at one point - used for flashlights, car
headlights, etc.

❖ Spherical mirrors ❖ Parabolic mirrors

Types of Spherical Mirrors
•Plane mirror- flat mirror
•Ex. everyday, bathroom mirror
•Convex mirrors - bend outward
•Ex. the back of a spoon, side-view
mirrors
•Concave mirrors - bend inward
•Ex. satellite dishes, the front of a spoon
 Plane mirrors
• Image is behind the mirror - virtual image
• Image is reversed back to front
• Erect, same size as the object, same distance as the object
Convex mirrors
• Image is behind the mirror - virtual image
• Image is much smaller than object (diminished)
• Erect
 Concave mirrors
• Principal Axis is from C to A
• For small angles, the focal point is half the distance between the mirror and the Center, C.
• Inverted, real image placed beyond the principal focus
• If object is between the principal focus and the mirror, the image is virtual, erect and enlarged.
Ray Diagrams
• Incident light rays parallel to the principal axis are
reflected through the focal point.
• Incident rays through the focal point are reflected
parallel to the principal axis.

P1

P2 I2

I1
 Mirror equation
•

do

di
 Mirror equation ctd.
•

ho

hi
Example 1a
• An object 2.0 cm high is 30.0 cm from a concave
mirror. The radius of curvature is 20.0 cm. What
is the location and size of the image?

1 + 1 = 1
do di f
1 = 1 - 1 = -0.0667 /cm
di 10 cm 30 cm
di = 15 cm
Example 1b
• An object 2.0 cm high is 30.0 cm from a concave mirror. The
radius of curvature is 20.0 cm. What is the location and size of
the image?

hi = -di = m
ho do

hi = -di x h
o
do
hi = 15 cm x 2.0 cm = -1 cm
30 cm
 Convex Lenses
Thicker in the center than edges.
• Lens that converges (brings
together) light rays.
• Forms real images and virtual
images depending on position
of the object
• Inverted real image of objects The Magnifier
located outside the principal
focus
• When object is between
principal focus and lens, image
is virtual, erect and enlarged.
 Concave Lenses
• Lenses that are thicker at the
edges and thinner in the center.
• Diverges light rays
• All images are virtual
erect and reduced.
The De-Magnifier
The Human Eye
• Refractive index of lens varies with
wavelength (colours)

• Cool colours (blues) appear closer;

warm colours (reds) further away
Most people see the red,
Closer than the blue.
Others see the opposite.

How about you?

The Human Eye
Structure & Function
• IRIS
• coloured part of eye
• controls light entering

• PUPIL
• black hole in iris
• where light enters
Structure & Function
• SCLERA
• whites of the eye
• supports eyeball
• provides attachment for
muscles

• LENS
• converging lens
• allows us to see objects
near and far
 Normal Eye Focus

“Blind spot”
Focusing Problems
HYPEROPIA
• Far-sightedness
• Problem seeing close objects
• Distance between lens and retina
too small
• Light focused behind retina
• Corrected with converging lenses
Far-Sighted (Hyperopia)
Focusing Problems
HYPEROPIA
• Form of far-sightedness
• Harder for people to read as they
age
• Lens loses elasticity
• Corrected by glasses with converging
lenses
Focusing Problems
MYOPIA
• Near-sightedness
• Problem seeing objects far away
• Distance between lens and retina
too large
• Light focused in front of retina
• Correct with diverging lenses
Near-Sighted (Myopia)
The speed of light in a certain glass is 1.91*108 m/s. what is the
refractive index of the glass?
 TUTORIALS 7

PHY101 Physics I: Thermodynamics & Optics 35

1. A converging lens f=20cm is placed 37cm in front of a screen. Where
the object should be placed if its image is to appear on the screen?
2. Where should an object be placed, with reference to a concave
spherical mirror of radius 180cm, to form a real image having half its
linear dimension?
3. What kind of spherical mirror must be used, and what must be its
radius, in order to give an erect image one-fifth as large as an object
placed 15cm in front of it?
4. Describe the image of an object positioned 20cm from a concave
spherical mirror of radius 60cm.
 END OF LECTURE 7

PHY101 Physics I: Thermodynamics & Optics 37