Mirror and Lens Images

Also called

mirror and lens · image formation · ray diagram · convex lens · concave lens · plane mirror · real and virtual image · lens formula · optical bench · focal length · magnifying glass

Topics

• a plane mirror forms an upright, same-size virtual image as far behind the mirror as the object is in front
• a virtual image is found by tracing rays backwards (dashed) and cannot be caught on a screen
• a ray parallel to the axis passes through the focus F after a convex lens; a ray through the centre goes straight on
• thin-lens sign convention used: u > 0 for a real object, f > 0 convex and f < 0 concave, v = fu/(u - f)…
• object beyond 2F (u = 3f): real, inverted, smaller image (v = 1.5f, m = -0.5)
• object between F and 2F (u = 1.5f): real, inverted, larger image farther away (v = 3f, m = -2)
• object at F: outgoing rays are parallel, the image is at infinity
• object inside F (u = 0.5f): virtual, upright, enlarged image on the object side (v = -f, m = 2)…
• a concave lens always gives an upright, smaller virtual image between F and the lens

About this model

A GLB file of about 817 KB, shown in Lably's 3D viewer and, on a phone, placed in your room with AR. Credit: Magnifying glass frame and handle: MilkAndBanana, "Lab Assets" on OpenGameArt.org, CC0 1.0 (recoloured, decorative lens removed). Optical bench, lenses, mirror, screen, rays, comparison board and animation: Lably. | CC0 1.0 (magnifying glass frame) + newly authored Lably geometry and animation

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