Determination of the Focal Length of a Convex Lens

Shaikh Ilyas

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AIM: To determine the focal length of converging lens and it’s radius of curvature.

HYPOTHESIS: The relationship between u and v and the focal length f for a convex lens is given by . Where f is the focal length, u is the distance between the object and the lens v is the distance between the image and the lens. Real and Virtual Images: Lenses produce images by refraction that are said to be either real or virtual.

Real images are created by the convergence of rays and can be projected onto a screen; real images form on the side of the lens that is opposite to the object and by convention have a positive image distance value;
Virtual images are formed by the apparent extrapolation of diverging rays and cannot be formed on a screen, whereas virtual images form on the same side of the lens as the object and have a negative image distance value.[1]

[2]

BACKGROUND: For a thin double convex lens,refractionacts to focus all parallel rays to a point referred to as the principal focal point. The distance from the lens to that point is the principal focal length f of the lens. Below is the derivation of the lens formula

Following graphic illustrates a simple lens model:

[3]

where,

h= height of the object

h’= height of the object projected in an image

G and C = focal points

f= focal distance

u= Distance between the object and the focal point

O= Centre of the lens

v= Distance between the centre of the lens and image plane

Assumptions

Lens is very thin
Optical axis is perpendicular to image plane

Proving is true.

Proof

In ?AHO,

In ?EDO,

?

—– (1)

In ?BOC,

In ?EDC,

?

—— (2)

Equating equations (1) and (2),

Dividing both sides by v,

Hence the formula is proved.

VARIABLES:

Independent: Distance between the candle and the lens

Dependent: Distance (v) from the image to the lens

Control:

This experiment was conducted in an almost dark room.
Same sheet of paper used as the screen.
A stable candle flame
The time taken for a sharp and focused image to settle
The size of the candle.

METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VARIABLES: Made sure that the room was sufficiently dark enough to carry out this experiment as smoothly as possible without any entrance of light from the outside. So I pulled down the blinds of the windows and also made sure that there was no draught present in the room that can make the candle flame unstable. Moreover, I waited for around 6-7 seconds for the image to be seen as sharp and focused. And throughout this experiment I used candles of the same make and size.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:

2 meter rules
A white screen
Candle
Convex lens

PROCEDURE:

I divided this experiment in to 2 parts, A and B. In part A, I experimented using a single lens at a time, while in part B, I used 2 lens in contact at a time.

Part A:

Firstly I set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 1 above by making the distances v and u the same. So the image observed on a plain white screen was focused and clear
Recorded the value of the lengths u and v and thereby marking these original points using a chalk on the bench.
Then I adjusted the length of u by moving it away from the lens by 5cm. Consequently, I adjusted the length of v until a sharp and focused image was seen.
Recorded this distance of u and v
Repeated step 3 – 4 for 7 different values of u by increasing the distance by 5 cm in each step. And recorded the values of u and v for every increment.
Then I placed the candle and the screen back in their original marked positions.
Finally, repeated the steps 1-8 by using different convex lenses A, B, C, D and E.

Figure 1: Setup of the apparatus for Part A

Part B:

Firstly I set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 2 by making the distances v and u the same. So the image observed on a plain white screen was focused and clear
Recorded the value of the lengths u and v and thereby marking these original points using a chalk on the bench.
Then I adjusted the length of u by moving it away from the lens by 5cm. Consequently, I adjusted the length of v until a sharp and focused image was seen. Recorded this distance of u and v
Repeated step 3 – 4 for 4 different values of u by increasing the distance by 5 cm in each step. And recorded the values of u and v for every increment.
Repeated the above steps 1-5, thrice.

Figure 2: Setup of the apparatus for Part B

DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING:

Part A:

Table 1: Data collected for convex lens A

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

15.0

25.1

20.0

21.5

25.0

17.0

30.0

14.7

35.0

14.2

40.0

13.6

45.0

13.0

Table 2: Data collected for convex lens B

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

15.0

28.9

20.0

24.2

25.0

19.2

30.0

15.8

35.0

13.9

40.0

13.2

45.0

12.7

Table 3: Data collected for convex lens C

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

15.0

24.6

20.0

21.1

25.0

16.5

30.0

14.3

35.0

13.9

40.0

13.4

45.0

12.9

Table 4: Data collected for convex lens D

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

15.0

28.7

20.0

23.6

25.0

17.4

30.0

14.9

35.0

14.0

40.0

13.4

45.0

13.0

Table 5: Data collected for convex lens E

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

15.0

25.8

20.0

20.1

25.0

15.4

30.0

14.3

35.0

13.9

40.0

13.1

45.0

12.5

Part B:

Table 6: Data collected for Trial 1

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

30.0

60

40.0

38

50.0

33

60.0

30.1

Table 7: Data collected for Trial 2

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

30.0

58.7

40.0

37.8

50.0

32.6

60.0

30

Table 8: Data collected for Trial 3

u (distance between the lens and candle)+ 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen)+ 0.1cm

30.0

61.5

40.0

38.7

50.0

33.2

60.0

29.6

Using the formula, R = 2f I can calculate the value for the radius of curvature. The value of f can be found using the equation.

Part A:

Table 9:Data processing for convex lens A

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

15

25.1

9.39

18.78

-0.62

0.38603

20

21.5

10.36

20.72

0.35

0.12328

25

17.0

10.12

20.24

0.11

0.01182

30

14.7

9.87

19.73

-0.14

0.02090

35

14.2

10.10

20.20

0.09

0.00833

40

13.6

10.15

20.30

0.14

0.01930

45

13.0

10.09

20.17

0.08

0.00576

Mean(f) = 10.01

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.30967

Therefore, the focal length is 10.01+ 0.31 cm

The % error = = 3.1%

Table 10:Data processing for convex lens B

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

15

28.9

9.87

19.75

-0.38

0.14761

20

24.2

10.95

21.90

0.69

0.47792

25

19.2

10.86

21.72

0.60

0.36098

30

15.8

10.35

20.70

0.09

0.00818

35

13.9

9.95

19.90

-0.31

0.09612

40

13.2

9.92

19.85

-0.33

0.11162

45

12.7

9.90

19.81

-0.35

0.12548

Mean(f) =

10.26

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.47044

Therefore, the focal length is 10.26+ 0.47 cm

The % error = = 4.6%

Table 11:Data processing for convex lens C

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

15

24.6

9.32

18.64

-0.57

0.32564

20

21.1

10.27

20.54

0.38

0.14350

25

16.5

9.94

19.88

0.05

0.00259

30

14.3

9.68

19.37

-0.20

0.04197

35

13.9

9.95

19.90

0.06

0.00361

40

13.4

10.04

20.07

0.15

0.02209

45

12.9

10.03

20.05

0.14

0.01879

Mean(f) = 9.89

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.30500

Therefore, the focal length is 9.89+ 0.31 cm

The % error = = 3.1%

Table 12:Data processing for convex lens D

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

15

28.7

9.85

19.70

-0.29

0.08633

20

23.6

10.83

21.65

0.68

0.46324

25

17.4

10.26

20.52

0.11

0.01308

30

14.9

9.96

19.91

-0.19

0.03595

35

14.0

10.00

20.00

-0.15

0.02105

40

13.4

10.04

20.07

-0.11

0.01158

45

13.0

10.09

20.17

-0.06

0.00346

Mean(f) = 10.15

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.32524

Therefore, the focal length is 10.15+ 0.33 cm

The % error = = 3.2%

Table 13:Data processing for convex lens E

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

15

25.8

9.49

18.97

-0.28

0.07574

20

20.1

10.02

20.05

0.26

0.06992

25

15.4

9.53

19.06

-0.23

0.05327

30

14.3

9.68

19.37

-0.08

0.00586

35

13.9

9.95

19.90

0.19

0.03548

40

13.1

9.87

19.74

0.11

0.01159

45

12.5

9.78

19.57

0.02

0.00049

Mean(f) = 9.76

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.20508

Therefore, the focal length is 9.76 + 0.20508 cm

The % error = = 2.1%

Part B:

Table 14: Data processing for Trial 1

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

30

60.0

20.00

40.00

0.15

0.02168

40

38.0

19.49

38.97

-0.37

0.13366

50

33.0

19.88

39.76

0.03

0.00072

60

30.1

20.04

40.09

0.19

0.03672

Mean(f) = 19.85

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.43905

Therefore, the focal length is 19.85 + 0.44cm

The % error = = 2.2%

Table 15: Data processing for Trial 2

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

30

58.7

19.85

39.71

0.10

0.00961

40

37.8

19.43

38.87

-0.32

0.10300

50

32.6

19.73

39.47

-0.02

0.00047

60

30.0

20.00

40.00

0.24

0.05984

Mean(f) = 19.76

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.16976

Therefore, the focal length is 19.76 + 0.17 cm

The % error = = 0.9%

Table 16: Data processing for Trial 3

u (distance between the lens and candle) + 0.1cm

v (distance between the lens and screen) + 0.1cm

Focal length (f) (cm)

Radius of curvature (R) (cm)

(f-x)

(f-x)2

30

61.5

20.16

40.33

0.26

0.06875

40

38.7

19.67

39.34

-0.23

0.05387

50

33.2

19.95

39.90

0.05

0.00252

60

29.6

19.82

39.64

-0.08

0.00645

Mean(f) = 19.90

Standard deviation: ?m = = = 0.14809

Therefore, the focal length is 19.90 + 0.15 cm

The % error = = 2.2%

CALCULATIONS AND DATA PRESENTATION:

Table 17: Data presentation for Convex lens A

(cm)-1

(cm)-1

(cm)-1

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