Refraction through Lenses

Refraction through Lenses

Aim: To investigate how different types of lenses refract light.

Equipment: Triple-slit ray slide, power supply, a concave lens and a convex lens

Method:

1. Set up a ray box, triple slit ray slide and power supply 

2. Place the convex lens in the space below. Place the ray box at the top of the page and shine the three rays of light at the lens. Make sure the central light ray hits the lens at 90 degrees as indicated in the diagram.

3. Carefully trace the direction of the incoming and refracted rays.

4. Repeat using the concave lens.

Conclusion:  The following sentences describe the way light refracts through the two different lenses. Read the sentences and identify which lens relate to each sentence.

When light passes through this type of lens, the rays all move away (diverge) from each other. One use of these lenses is in security peepholes in a door so that a person inside a room can see who is at the door without having to open it.

The lens described in the paragraph above is a convex lens