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LENS

Lens

Convex lens Concave lens

(Convergent in nature) (divergent in nature)

 Lens formula:
1 1 1
= +
f u v
u = object distance
v = image distance
f = focal length

 Sign convention:
Focal length and radius of curvature for
Convex lens = +ve
Concave lens = –ve
Real image and object distance = +ve
Virtual image and object distance = –ve

 Magnification:
(a) Linear Magnification
Size of image (I)
(M) = Size of object (O)
v v−f f
= = =
u f u−f

(b) Axial Magnification

v 2 v−f 2 f 2
(M) = (u) = ( ) = (u−f)
f

 If 'x' be the distance of object from principal focus and 'y' be the distance of image from focus, then
 f = √xy (Newton's formula)
y
 m = √x

1 100
 Power of lens (P) = f (in metre) = f (in cm) dioptre
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Location of image formed by Convex lens:

Object distance Image distance Nature of Image
u=∞ v=f real, inverted, highly diminished
u = 2f v = 2f real, inverted, same size
2f < u < ∞ f < v < 2f real, inverted, diminished
u=f v=∞ real, inverted, highly magnified
0<u<f 0<v<∞ Virtual, erect, magnified

Concave Lens
0<u<∞ 0<v<f virtual, erect, diminished
u=∞ v=f point, virtual image

Lens maker's formula:

 Gives relation between focal length, radii of curvature and refractive index.
1 1 1
 ( μ − 1) (R + R )
f 1 2 1 2

1 μ2 1 1
( − 1) ( + )
f μ1 R1 R 2
μ2 = R.I. of material of lens
μ1 = R.I. of surrounding medium
 If lens made of glass is placed in air
1 1 1
(μg − 1) (R + R ) ……………. (i)
fa 1 2

If lens is placed in liquid having R.I.μl

1 μg 1 1
( − 1) (R + R ) ……………..(ii)
f𝑙 μ𝑙 1 2

(i) dividing (ii) gives

f𝑙
fa
μg − 1
= μ
g
( μ − 1)
𝑙
4 3
For water, μw = 3, μg = 2

fw = 4fa
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Case I: If μg> μl
 Focal length of lens increase
 Power decreases i.e. degree of convergence and divergence decreases
 Nature of lens remains unchanged.

Case II: If μg = μl
 Focal length become infinite.
 Power becomes zero i.e. degree of convergence and divergence disappears.
 Lens become invisible and behaves as plane glass slab.

Case III: If μg< μl

 Focal length increase
 Nature of lens is changed i.e. convex become concave and vice versa. e.g. An air bubble in water behaves
as concave lens.

Thin lenses in contact:

 If number of lenses having focal length f1, f2, f3………….fn are placed in contact, then equivalent focal length
is given by
1 1 1 1 1
= + + + ………….+
feq f1 f2 f3 fn
peq = p1 + p2 + p3 + …………+ pn
 If two lenses having focal length f1 and f2 are placed 'd' distance apart, then
1 1 1 1
= + −
feq f1 f2 f1 f1
peq = p1 + p2 – dp1p2

 If convex lens of focal length f1 and concave lens of focal length f2 is placed in contact with each other
1 1 1
= −
feq f1 f2
If f1> f2, feq = –ve (combination behaves as concave lens)
If f1< f2, feq = +ve (combination behaves as convex lens)
If f1 = f2, feq = 0 (combination behaves as plane glass)

Silvering of lens:
If one face a lens is silvered, then focal length of silvered lens is given by
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1 1 1 1 2 1
=f +f +f =f +f
F 𝑙 m 𝑙 𝑙 m

fl = focal length of lens

fm = focal length of mirror
(a) (i) If plane face of Plano-convex lens is silvered,
1 2 1
= +
F f𝑙 fm
1 1 1
= 2. (μ – 1) (R + ∞) + ∞
1 2(μ − 1)
=
F R
2
F = 2(μ−1)

Behaves as concave mirror for plane mirror, Fm = ∞

(ii) If convex face of Plano-convex lens is silvered,

1 2 1 1 1 2
= f + f = 2. (μ – 1) (R + ∞) + R
F x m

1 2μ − 2 + 2)
=
F R
R
F = 2μ

Behaves as concave mirror

(b) If one face of equi convex lens is silvered,

1 2 1
= +
F f𝑙 fm
1 1 1 2
= 2. (μ – 1) (R + R) + R
F

4. (μ − 1) + 2)
=
R
R
F=
4μ−2)
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Behaves as concave mirror

(c) If one face of equi concave lens is silvered
1 2 1
= +
F f𝑙 fm
1 −1 1 2
= 2(μ – 1). ( R − R) − R
F

R
F = −2(2μ−1)

Behaves as convex mirror

Cutting of lens:
 If a lens of focal length 'f' is divided into two equal parts as shown and each part has focal length f ′ .

1 1 1
(a) = f′ + f′
f

(b) f ′ = 2f
p
 Each part has power
2

 Intensity of image formed remains same

 Each part have focal length same as original lens i.e.
f′ = f
 Intensity of image is decreased.

Focal length of convex lens by Displacement method:

 If distance between object and screen (d) ≥ 4f, then for two positions of lens, sharp image can be obtained on
screen.

d−x d+x
 u1 = v2 = , u2 = v1 =
2 2

 If I1 and I2 be the size of images for position L1 and L2, then

I1 v d+x
m1 = = u1 = d−x m1.m2 = 1
O 1
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I2 v d−x
m2 = = u2 = d+x I1I2 = O2
O 2

O = √I1 I2

m1 d+x 2
 = (d−x)
m2

d2 − x2 x md
 f= =m = (m+1)2
4d 1 −m2

1
Where, m1 = m = m
2

 If half of the lens is covered with black paper image produced by lens is of reduced intensity.

Aberration in lens:
Chromatic aberration:
 Inability of lens to focus different colours of light at single point.
 Aries due to the fact that focal length of lens is different for different colours.
i. Axial chromatic aberration:
fr – fv = wf
where, f = √fr fv = mean focal length
ii. Lateral chromatic aberration:
O wv2 O
Ir – Iv = (Vr – Vv) u = .u
f

Where,
O = size of object
v = image distance for mean light
 Combination of lenses free from chromatic aberration – Achromatic combination
Condition of Achromatism:
w w′
+ ′ =0
f f
w w′
= ′
f f
w f
= f′ ……………. (i)
w′

(a) The two lenses must be of different materials.

1 1 1
Since, if w = w ′ , f + f′ = 0 i.e. f = 0 or feq = ∞ i.e. combination will not behave as a lens, but as a plane
eq

glass plate.
(b) As w and w ′ are always positive, so for eqn (i) to hold, f and f ′ must be of opposite nature i.e. if one lens is
convex, then other must be concave.
(c) Power of convex lens must be greater than that of concave lens.
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Spherical aberration

 Inability of lens to focus paraxial and marginal rays at the same point.
 Arises due to spherical shape of lens.
 Spherical aberration
= fp - fm
fp = focal length of paraxial rays
fm = focal length of marginal rays

Methods of reducing spherical aberration:

(a) By using Plano convex or Plano concave lens instead of biconvex or biconcave lens
(b) By using stops, either paraxial or marginal rays are cut off.
1
(c) Using lens of large focal length. (spherical aberration ∝f2 )

NOTE;

 If angle of incidence is greater than critical angle, then a spherical air bubble in water will behave as a
convex mirror.
 A spherical water droplet in air will behave as convex lens.
 The minimum distance between an object and its real image formed by a thin convex lens of focal length f
is 4f. If less the 4f image will be virtual. For concave mirror it is zero
 Power of goggle spectacles is zero, while that of viewing glass is infinite
 BPKIHS/ MOE/IOM: If half of the lens is covered with black paper, the image produced by the lens is
one but of reduced intensity.
 An insect is moving towards a convex lens with a uniform speed upto first focus. The speed its image
formed by the lens increases. If a lens is made of two different material, then two images of the object will
be formed by the lens
 If a convex lens placed in contact with mirror and space between them is filled with water its power will
decrease.
 As power of concave lens negative, power of system decreases.
 The focal length of combination of two thin convex lenses supported by a distance first increases and then
decreases.
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 If a biconvex lens of focal length is cut longitudinally along its principal axis into two parts are displaced
laterally, and parallel beam of light is incident on the lens then the number of images formed is two of
reduced intensity.
 The focal length of combination of two thin convex lenses supported by a distance first increase and then
decreases.