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Apparatus
(a) Optical bench, with mounted lamp and screen.
(b) A set of 3 lenses, color-tagged RED, YELLOW, and BLUE; two lens mounts.
(c) A desk lamp.
Theory
A thin lens is characterized by its focal length f. The BASIC EQUATION
object distance S, the image distance S, and the focal
length are related by (1), the Thin Lens Equation. (1) 1 1 1
Equation (1) can be used for all kinds of thin lenses, + = f
S S'
provided the following sign-conventions are observed.
(i) f is positive for converging lenses, negative for diverging lenses.
(ii) S is positive if the object is in front of the lens, according to the direction of
light rays. But if the object is behind the lens ( = virtual object) then S is
negative.
(iii) S is positive if the image is behind the lens, and negative if it is in front of the
lens ( = virtual image).
Formula (1) and the sign conventions can be used for a succession of lenses, with the
principle: the image formed by a preceding lens (according to the direction of light rays!)
serves as an object for the following lens.
Preliminary Procedure
Familiarize yourself with the Optical Bench. Your instructor should explain the
details to you.
At all times during the experiment, make sure that:
(i) The centers of all lenses and the center of the lamp are aligned along a (horizontal)
optical axis.
(ii) The planes of all lenses are perpendicular to the optical axis; the same applies to
the screen and the lamp.
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Experiment 18U
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AVERAGE < fR >
(c) Place the RED lens about 12 to 13cm from the lamp and record its position, within
1 millimeter accuracy, as xR, under Run #1. Then place the screen behind the lens
and move it back-and-forth until you observe the image to be sharp and
undistorted; this process is known as focusing.
(d) Repeat (c) for additional seven runs (for a total of 8 runs) with xR ranging from 11 to
25 cm, evenly spaced. Record xR and xSCR in the table.
(e) From the Basic Equation (1) and the particular HANDY FORMULA
situation in Fig. 1, one can derive a Handy (Valid Only for Fig.1)
Formula (2). Use it to complete, on your (2) fR = ( xSCR xR ) xR
data-sheet, the Red Lens Table; calculate
xSCR
the average value < fR >.
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Experiment 18U
During the remainder of the experiment the position of this image (xKEY) shall not
be changed.
(h) Remove the screen. Keep in mind that the image is still there, at xKEY. Place the
YELLOW lens about 10 to 12cm beyond xKEY.
The image at xKEY now serves as the object for the YELLOW lens.
Place the screen beyond the YELLOW lens and locate the new image, as sharp
and undistorted as possible. On your data-sheet, prepare a table:
Record the position xY of the YELLOW lens and of the image xSCR under
Run #1. Repeat, by moving the YELLOW lens back-and-forth, and re-focusing the
image, for a total of 3 runs.
(i) Reverse the yellow lens in its holder, make additional three runs and record all
data. (The reason for reversing is that the center of the YELLOW lens does not
exactly correspond to the plane of the lens-holder).
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Experiment 18U
Lab Report
Part I
1) Calculate fR.
2) Show, by algebra, why the formula (2) follows from the equation (1), for the situation
in Fig. 1.
3) If you have done the focusing of a far-away object onto the screen, display the
%-discrepancy between <fR> from (e) from (f).
Part II
4) Draw a diagram of your experimental set-up, similar to Fig. 1, showing clearly all five
positions:
xo , xR , xKEY , xY, xSCR
Display the formulae from which you will calculate S and S for the YELLOW lens in
terms of xY , xKEY, and xSCR.
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Experiment 18U
(ii) Comment on the difference between the averages for the original and the
reversed mountings of the lens.
Part III
7) Draw a diagram of your experimental set-up, similar to Fig. 1, showing clearly all five
positions:
xo , xR , xKEY , xB, xSCR
Display the formulae from which you will calculate S and S for the BLUE lens, in
terms of xB, xKEY, and xSCR.
8) Set up and complete a table, using the +/- sign convention, similar to that for the
yellow lens (in Part II above).
9) Comment on all discrepancies and figure out the reasons for them.
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Experiment 18U
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