Power of a lens
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Explainer Video
Summary
Power of a lens
In a nutshell
Lenses change the direction of light rays to converge or diverge. They are used to form real or virtual images. The power of a lens is a measure of its ability to refract light.
Definitions
Keyword | Definition |
| Converge | Meet at a single point. |
| Diverge | Spread out - appears as if coming from a single point. |
| Axis | Line passing horizontally through the middle of the lens. |
| Principal focus / focal point | The focal point for a lens. A lens has a principal focus on each side. |
| Focal length | The distance from the centre of the lens to the principal focus/ focal point. |
| Object | What the light passing through the lens comes from. |
| Real image | Light meets at a point (converges) to form an image on a screen. |
| Virtual image | Light appears to be coming from a point (diverges) and forms an image not really there. |
Equations
DESCRIPTION | EQUATION |
| Power of a lens | |
Variable definitions
QUANTITY NAME | SYMBOL | UNIT SYMBOL |
| | | or |
| | | |
Types of lenses
A lens is a specifically shaped piece of glass that refracts light rays when they pass through it. Lenses refract light rays so that they change direction. This makes objects appear differently to what they actually are.
There are two types of lenses: converging and diverging.
Converging lens
A converging lens bulges outwards towards the middle. This lens causes light parallel to the axis to converge at the focal point. The focal length is the distance from this focal point to the centre of the lens.
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Diverging lens
A diverging lens bends inwards towards the middle. This lens causes light rays parallel to the axis to diverge. For a diverging lens, the focal point is where the rays diverging appear to have come from. The focal length is the distance from this focal point to the centre of the lens.
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Power of a lens
If a lens has a shorter focal length, it is said to be more powerful, as shown by the equation:
Note: for a diverging lens, where the focal length is negative, power has a negative value.
The power of a lens is a measure of its ability to refract light. It also tells you how strongly the lens can focus the light. The unit of power of a lens is the dioptre ().
Example
A lens is set up between a bulb and a screen. The image of the bulb is in focus when the lens is from the screen. Calculate the power of the lens.
State the variables from the question:
State the equation needed:
Substitute into the equation and solve:
The power of the lens is .
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the power of a lens?
The power of a lens is a measure of its ability to refract light
What is the focal length of a lens?
The focal length of a lens is the distance from the centre of the lens to the principal focus.
What are the two types of lenses?
The two types of lenses are converging and diverging lenses.