Module 5: Light and Optics

Two Perspectives about Light

1. Light is an electromagnetic wave in that it has wave like properties which
can be influenced by electric and magnetic fields. (Huygens Principle)

2. Light as particle or photons (Quantum Physics by Einstein)

Single-photon experiments

n According to Einstein the quantum of light wave of

frequency f has the energy

E = hf (photon energy)

Here h is the Plancks constant , which has the value

h = 6.63 X 10-34 Js = 4.14 X 10-15 eVs
 Facts about Light
n It is a form of Electromagnetic Energy
n It is a part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum and the only part we
can really see
Facts about Light
The speed of light, c, is constant in a vacuum.
Light can be:
REFLECTED
ABSORBED
REFRACTED

Light is an electromagnetic wave in that it has wave like properties

which can be influenced by electric and magnetic fields.
The Law of REFLECTION
The Law of Reflection states that- " the angle
of incidence (incoming ray) equals the
angle of reflection (outgoing ray)"
The law works for FLAT,
PLANE surfaces only.

The angles are measured

from a perpendicular line
to the surface called a
NORMAL.

NORMAL
Plane Mirror
Suppose we had a flat , plane mirror mounted vertically. A candle is
placed 10 cm in front of the mirror. WHERE IS THE IMAGE OF
THE CANDLE LOCATED?
mirror

On the surface of the mirror?

Behind the mirror?

Object Distance, Do = 10 cm

Same side as the object?

Plane Mirror
Suppose we had a flat , plane mirror mounted vertically. A candle is
placed 10 cm in front of the mirror. WHERE IS THE IMAGE OF
THE CANDLE LOCATED?
mirror Virtual Image

Object Distance, Do = 10 cm Image Distance, Di = 10 cm

Do=Di, and the heights are equal as well

 Virtual Images
Virtual Images are basically images which cannot be
visually projected on a screen.

You would not be able to project the image of the

vase or your face in a mirror on a screen, therefore
it is a virtual image.

CONCLUSION: VIRTUAL IMAGES are ALWAYS on the OPPOSITE side of

the mirror relative to the object.
Real Image
Real Images are ones you can project on to a screen.

For MIRRORS they always appear on the SAME SIDE of the mirror as the object.

The characteristics of the

image, however, may be
different from the original object.
These characteristics are:
object SIZE (reduced,enlarged,same
size)
POSITION (same side,
opposite side)
ORIENTATION (right side up,
image inverted)

What if the mirror isnt flat?

Spherical Mirrors Concave & Convex

Also called DIVERGING mirror Also called CONVERGING mirror

0
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Concave Mirrors
n Curves inward
n May be real or virtual image
 Convex Mirrors
n Curves outward
n Reduces images

n Virtual images

q Use: Rear view mirrors, store

security
CAUTION! Objects are closer than they
appear!
 Ray Diagram
A ray diagram is a pictorial representation of how the
light travels to form an image and can tell you the
characteristics of the image.

object C f
Principal axis

Rule One: Draw a ray, starting from the top of the object, parallel to the
principal axis and then through f after reflection.
Ray Diagrams

object C f
Principal axis

Rule Two: Draw a ray, starting from the top of the object, through the focal
point, then parallel to the principal axis after reflection.
Ray Diagrams

object C f
Principal axis

Rule Three: Draw a ray, starting from the top of the object, through C, then
back upon itself.

What do you notice about the three lines? THEY INTERSECT

The intersection is the location of the image.
 Ray Diagram Image Characteristics

object C f
Principal axis

After getting the intersection, draw an arrow down from the principal axis to
the point of intersection. Then ask yourself these questions:

1) Is the image on the SAME or OPPOSITE side of the mirror as the object?
Same, therefore it is a REAL IMAGE.
2) Is the image ENLARGED or REDUCED?
3) Is the image INVERTED or RIGHT SIDE UP?
For a real object between f and the mirror, a virtual
image is formed behind the mirror. The image is
upright and larger than the object.
For a real object between C and f, a real image
is formed outside of C. The image is inverted
and larger than the object.
For a real object at C, the real image is
formed at C. The image is inverted and the
same size as the object.
For a real object close to the mirror but outside
of the center of curvature, the real image is
formed between C and f. The image is inverted
and smaller than the object.
What size image is formed if the
real object is placed at the focal
point f?

For a real object at f, no image is formed. The

reflected rays are parallel and never converge.
 The Mirror/Lens Equation
Is there any OTHER way to predict image characteristics besides
the ray diagram? YES!

One way is to use the MIRROR/LENS equation to

CALCULATE the position of the image.

1 1 1
= +
f do di
Mirror/Lens Equation
Assume that a certain concave spherical mirror has a
focal length of 10.0 cm. Locate the image for an
object distance of 25 cm and describe the images
characteristics.
1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = +
f do di 10 25 d i
di = 16.67 cm

What does this tell us? First we know the image is BETWEEN C & f. Since the
image distance is POSITIVE the image is a REAL IMAGE.

Real image = positive image distance

Virtual image = negative image distance

What about the size and orientation?

Magnification Equation
To calculate the orientation and size of the image we
use the MAGNIFICATION EQUATION.
Here is how this works:
d i hi If we get a POSITIVE magnification, the image is
M = = UPRIGHT.
d o ho If we get a NEGATIVE magnification, the image is
INVERTED
If the magnification value is GREATER than 1, the
image is ENLARGED.
16.67 If the magnification value is LESS than 1, the image
M = is REDUCED.
25 If the magnification value is EQUAL to 1, the image
is the SAME SIZE as the object.
M = 0.67 x
Using our previous data we see that our image was INVERTED, and REDUCED.
Example
Assume that a certain concave spherical mirror has a focal
length of 10.0 cm. Locate the image for an object distance of
5 cm and describe the images characteristics.

1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = +
f do di 10 5 d i
d i = -10 cm
Characteristics?

VIRTUAL (opposite side)

di Enlarged
M = = 2x Upright
5
Refraction
n Light also goes through some things
q glass, water, eyeball, air
n The presence of material slows lights progress
q interactions with electrical properties of atoms
n The light slowing factor is called the index of
refraction
q glass has n = 1.52, meaning that light travels about
1.5 times slower in glass than in vacuum
q water has n = 1.33
q air has n = 1.00028
q vacuum is n = 1.00000 (speed of light at full capacity)
Refraction at a plane surface
n Light bends at interface between refractive
indices
q bends more the larger the difference in refractive
index
A

n1 = 1.0
n2 = 1.5

B
 Index of Refraction, n
The index of refraction of a substance is the ratio of the speed in light
in a vacuum to the speed of light in that substance:
c
n =
v
Medium n
n = Index of Refraction Vacuum 1
c = Speed of light in vacuum Air (STP) 1.00029
v = Speed of light in medium Water (20 C) 1.33
Ethanol 1.36
Glass ~1.5
Note that a large index of refraction
corresponds to a relatively slow
Diamond 2.42
light speed in that medium.
Problem: What is the index of
refraction of a medium if the light
passes through that medium slows
down by half of its speed in vacuum?
Snells Law i ni
nr
Snells law states that a ray of light bends in
such a way that the ratio of the sine of the r
angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of
refraction is constant. Mathematically,

ni sin i = nr sinr
Here ni is the index of refraction in the original
medium and nr is the index in the medium the
light enters. i and r are the angles of
incidence and refraction, respectively.

Willebrord
Snell
Refraction Problem
Goal: Find the angular displacement of the ray after having passed
through the prism. Hints: Find the angle of refraction using
Snells law. 19.4712

Air, n1 = 1

30

Glass, n2 = 1.5
Critical Angle
nr
The critical angle is the angle of
incidence that produces an angle ni
c
of refraction of 90. If the angle
of incidence exceeds the critical
angle, the ray is completely From Snell,
reflected and does not enter the
n1 sinc = n2 sin 90
new medium. A critical angle
only exists when light is Since sin 90 = 1, we
attempting to penetrate a have n1 sinc = n2 and
medium of higher optical density
the critical angle is
than it is currently traveling in.

-1
n r
c = sin
ni
 Critical Angle Sample Problem

Calculate the critical angle for the diamond-air boundary.

Refer to the Index of Refraction chart for the information.

air c = sin-1 (nr / ni)

diamond
= sin-1 (1 / 2.42)
c = 24.4
Any light shone on this
boundary beyond this angle
will be reflected back into the
diamond.
Total Internal Reflection
Total internal reflection occurs when light attempts to pass
from a more optically dense medium to a less optically dense
medium at an angle greater than the critical angle. When this
occurs there is no refraction, only reflection.

n1 n2 > n1
n2 > c

Total internal reflection can be used for practical applications

like fiber optics.
Fiber Optics
Fiber optic lines are strands of glass or
transparent fibers that allows the transmission
of light and digital information over long
distances. They are used for the telephone
system, the cable TV system, the internet,
medical imaging, and mechanical engineering
spool of optical fiber inspection.
Optical fibers have many advantages over
copper wires. They are less expensive,
thinner, lightweight, and more flexible. They
arent flammable since they use light signals
instead of electric signals. Light signals from
one fiber do not interfere with signals in
nearby fibers, which means clearer TV
reception or phone conversations. A fiber optic wire
Other terms
q DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT refers to the deviation of
light from a straight line propagation. It usually
corresponds to the bending or spreading of waves
around the edges of apertures and obstacles.
q LUMINOUS INTENSITY I is the brightness of a light
source for which the candela (cd) is the SI unit. A
candle has a luminous intensity of about 1 cd.
q LUMINOUS FLUX F emitted by a light source
describes the total amount of visible light it gives off.
The unit of luminous flux is the lumen (lm)
q POLARIZATION of light is an orientation of the
vibration of light waves in a singular plane.