Magnifying glass

Lenses
IGCSE Topic: 3.2 (c) Thin converging lens Mr. Borges St. Paul s School

Lesson objectives
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
Explain how to use a convex lens as a magnifying glass. Draw a ray diagram showing how a magnifying glass works.

Convex lenses
Thicker in the middle, thinner on the edges.

Light will be refracted towards the principal axis of the convex lens so the rays will eventually meet in one single point: this point is the focus or focal point

Magnifying glass
Convex lens used to produce a magnified image of an object

Convex Lens as a magnifying glass

Object is closer to the convex lens than the principal focus (behind the lens). Rays never converge. Rays appear coming from a position behind the lens. Image is: upright and magnified. Image is VIRTUAL and cannot be captured on a screen.

Magnifying glass Ray Diagram

Drawing a ray diagram of a magnifying glass: - Use two types of rays (through the centre; and parallel refracted after the lens. - Do not forget to use arrows to indicate the direction of the rays. - Draw the observers eye. - Virtual rays and image must be drawn with a doted line.