DATE:

PRACTICAL #:
TITLE: Focal Length of Convex Lens
AIM: To find the focal length of a convex lens by the plotting of graphs between u
an v and between
1/u and 1/v.
Apparatus/Materials: Convex lens, screen , illuminated wire gauze, ruler.
DIAGRAM:
THEORY: A converging lens is a lens that converges rays of light that are

traveling parallel to its principal axis. The principal axis refers to the line of
symmetry across the lens. The focus is the point through which light rays
striking the lens along a line close to and parallel to the principal axis pass.
The focal length is a fixed property of a lens and if an object is palced at a
distance u from a lens of focal length, f, then an image of the object will be
focused in the lens at a distance v from it according to the equation
1 1 1

or
f u v
uv
f
uv

Procedure:
Method 1(Distant/Object method).
The convex lens is faced to a distant scenery and the positon of the screen is
adjusted so that a well defined image of the scenery(object) is formed on the
screen. The distance between the lens and the image on the screen give the
approximate focal length. The experiment is repeated and the mean focal length is
calculated.
Method 2
The convex lens is placed in front of the illuminated wire gause. A screen is
adjusted on the other side of the lens so that a clear image of the object is formed
on it. The distance of the object and the image from the lens are measured as u
and v . the focal length is then calculates using the formula

1 1 1

or
f u v
uv
f
uv
The experiment is repeated for different values of u. readings are taken for both
magnified and diminished images.

Draw the table given in the class. That is the formation of image by
convex lens for different object positions
Eg. Image at infinity
Beyond 2F etc.

(you must add table here showing 6 positions of image)

Method 3
u-v graph ( no minus sign between u and v, hyphen is shown between u and v)
( you must use the data from method 2 to find out f)
a graph is drawn with u along the X- axis and v along Y-axis TAKING A
COMMON ORIGIN AND SAME SCALE FOR BOTH AXIS . A bisector to the angle
YOX is drawn which meets the graph at P. then OA=OB= 2f. thence focal length can
be found out.
Method 4
1/u - 1/v graph ( between 1/u and 1/v , hyphen(-) is shown)
A graph is drawn with 1/u along the X axis an 1/v along Y axis taking zero as
origin and same scale for both axes. The graph is a straight line intercepting the
axes at A and B . then OA=OB= 1/f. hence f can be calculated.

Data collection
To find focal length
Method 1 ( distant object method)
Trial 1

focal length f =----------------

Trial 2 focal length f=------------------Trial 3 focal length f=--------------------

Mea

n focal length=--------------------------

METHOD 3 (U V GRAPH)
Trial
1.

Object distance
u /cm
14.3

Image distance
v/cm
35.4

2.

15.5

28.7

3.

16.8

24.3

4.

21.2

19.5

5.

22.3

18.5

23.0

17.3

Method 3 ( u-v graph)

Trial
1
2
3
4
5

u/

v/

Method 4 ( 1/u-1/v graph)

Draw table above( method 3) and add two more columns for 1/u and 1/v . give
answers for correct signifincant figures
Result
Focal length of convex lens
1.
2.
3.
4.

By distant object method=------------By u-v method

=--------------From u-v graph
=--------------From 1/u-1/v graph
=---------------