Reflection and Refraction in Lenses and Mirrors
11th Grade · Science · 50 min
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Learning Objective
I can apply the laws of reflection and refraction to predict the path of light through lenses and mirrors.
- 1
The ray model of light states that light travels in straight-line paths called rays, and the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
- 2
Refraction is the phenomenon of light rays changing direction when passing between media, and the angle of refraction is related to the angle of incidence by Snell's Law; for example, a straw in water appears bent due to refraction.
- 3
Lenses use refraction to form images, where converging lenses form real images when rays converge and diverging lenses form virtual images; the thin lens equation relates object distance, image distance, and focal length.
