D. K.

Science
SNC2D

Lab Report:
Images Formed by a
Converging Lens





Presented to Mme Neena


Acadmie de la capitale

June 13, 2014


1. Purpose/ Aim/ Question:
1. What are the characteristics and locations of the images formed by an object located at
various positions in front of a converging lens?
2. Is the lens equation valid for this lens?

2. Introduction
Optics is part of everyday life, but we usually dont pay attention to how it works. This lab shows
some experiments that show how extraordinary optics can be.

3. Hypothesis
I believe that changing the location of the object changes the size of the image and where the
image will appear.

4. Materials and Methods
Metre stick
Table
Converging lens and holder
Candle and holder
White paper screen and holder
A dark room

1. Hold the lens in your hand in a dark part of the room so that light from a distant object passes
through it and onto the screen, held in your hand. Move the screen back and forth until the
image is clearly focused. Measure the distance between the lens and the screen. This distance
is the focal length (f) of the lens.

2. a) Repeat Step 1, this time turning the lens around so that the other side of it faces the
screen.
b) How do the focal lengths measured on both sides of the lens compare?

3. Using the value of the focal length in Step 1, calculate the following object distances: 2.5f, 2f,
1.5f, f, and 0.5f, and record these in the Object Distance column of Figure 1.



4. Assemble your materials as in the diagram above. This apparatus is called the optical bench.
Place the lens in the exact centre of the optical bench.

5. Place the object at a distance of 2.f from the lens. Move the screen back and forth until the
image is focused clearly on the screen. Record the distance between the lens and the screen in
the Image Distance column in Figure 1. Also record the image characteristics: size (larger,
same size or smaller), attitude (upright or inverted), and type (real or virtual).

6. Repeat Step 5 for the other object distances. It will not be possible to measure image
distances for virtual images, but their characteristics should still be recorded.

7. Calculate your values for

d
o
,

d
i
,

d
o

d
i
and M for the first three observations only.

8. Determine the value of the reciprocal of the focal length.

-A description of how the lab was performed so that anyone can understand and duplicate the
lab.

5. Data/Results

Answers for the Methods:
1. Focal length = 27 cm
2. a) Focal length = 25.5 cm
b) The focal lengths are almost the same.
3. 5. 6. 7.

Object
Distance
d
o
(cm)
Image
Distance
d
i
(cm)
Image
size
Image
Attitude
Image
type

d
o


(cm
-1
)

d
i


(cm
-1
)

d
o

d
i


(cm
-1
)
M=
-d
i
d
o

2.5f = 67.5 22.5 Smaller Inverted Real 0.015 0.044 0.059 0.338
2.0f = 54 25 Smaller Inverted Real 0.019 0.04 0.059 -2.105
1.5f = 40.5 29.5 Same
size
Inverted Real 0.025 0.034 0.059 -1.36
f = 27 47 Bigger Inverted Real N/A N/A N/A N/A
0.5f = 13.5 N/A Bigger Inverted Virtual N/A N/A N/A N/A
Figure 1 Observations

8.

f
= 0.037 cm
-1


6. Data Analysis

I think that the results obtained for the focal length are wrong, and there should not be an
image. This might be because a calculation wa done incorrectly. I also think that the focal length
should be the same if you flip the lens, and the 1.5 cm difference we found was an error.

1. As the object moves closer to the lens, from 2.5f to 1.5f,
the image distance gets longer
and the size of the image gets bigger.
2. At what distance was it difficult, if not impossible, to locate a clearly focused image?
At the focal point.
3. a) Where would you place an object, relative to the focal point, to form a real
image? Behind f.
b) Where would you place an object, relative to the focal point, to form a virtual image?
In front of f.
4. How does the value of

relate to the value of

for the first three observations?

It is 0.022 cm longer. (thin lens equation, so should be more or less equal if measurement
was accurate)

7. Conclusion
In conclusion, changing the location of the object does change the size and location of the
image. This lab also showed how amazing optics can be and exactly how part of it works.

...and proves the SALT convention and thin lens equation. Try not to put your opinion in
your conclusion - but I appreciate your enthusiasm! :)

Excellent work, I like the addition of the diagrams and thanks for always handing your
work in on time => 90/100