Optical devices and images – basic principles
How it works
Optical devices such as a magnifying glass, microscope, telescope and camera use lenses and mirrors to produce images, enlarge them or reduce them. Image formation depends on the arrangement of the lenses, the distance to the object and the properties of the optical element used. Images can be real (able to be projected onto a screen) or virtual (only apparent, e.g. in a mirror). The focal length of a lens influences the image size and position. Optical devices are widely used in everyday life and science.
Image formation in optical devices follows the laws of the propagation of light, reflection and refraction: lenses and mirrors deflect light rays so that they produce an image whose properties (size, orientation, type) depend on the geometry and the distances.
An example
What kind of image is formed with a magnifying glass when the object being viewed is held closer to the lens than the focal length?
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50 Exercises
To the learning unit →Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: Physics. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.