Find the image formed by two

Combinations of lenses
lenses in combination
Image formed by lens 1
p1f1 (30)(10) Image 1
q1 = = = 15cm
p1 − f1 30 − 10 Image 2
• When two lenses are used in combination, from lens 1

the image of the first lens is the object for Image formed by lens 2
the second lens. p2 =20-q1 = 20-15= 5 cm
• The total magnification is the product of p2 f2 (5)(20)
q2 = = = −6.7cm
the magnifications of the first and second p2 − f2 5 − 20
from lens 2
lens. Magnification
⎛ q ⎞⎛ q ⎞ ⎛ 15 ⎞ ⎛ −6.7 ⎞ Inverted
M = M1M2 = ⎜ − 1 ⎟⎜ − 2 ⎟ = ⎜ − ⎟ ⎜ − ⎟ = −0.67 Reduced
⎝ p1 ⎠⎝ p2 ⎠ ⎝ 30 ⎠ ⎝ 5 ⎠

For two lenses in contact the total power is

Lens Power the sum of powers of the individual lenses
The power of a lens is defined as p q

1
P= Units of diopter (m-1) f1
f f2

where f is the focal length of the lens in meter.

1 1 1
= +
f f1 f2
A lens with a focal length of -20 cm has a power of
-5.0 diopters.
P = P1 + P2
Powers are often used by optometrists to describe eye glass
lenses

Farsightedness
Defects in vision
Lack of near vision
Nearsightedness and farsightedness – due to the 25 cm
mismatch between the focal length of the eye and the
distance between lens and retina.

unfocused
focused

Farsighted eye cannot focus on an object at the near point

of a normal eye.
The lens-retina distance is too short and/ or the lens is not
convergent enough.

1
 Nearsightedness
Correcting farsightedness
lack of far vision
25 cm
Normal eye focuses
at infinity

unfocused focused

Nearsighted eye cannot focus on objects far away

The light is made to converge more by using a (further than the far point < infinity)
converging lens.
The lens retina distance is too long and/or the lens
is too converging.

Correcting nearsightedness Example

A farsighted person has a near point of 50 cm. What power
lens will correct this to normal vision. (ignore the
distance between the lens and the eye.
focused unfocused

50 cm 25 cm
virtual image object
Use a lens that can take an object at 25 cm and form a
virtual image at a distance of 50 cm.
Nearsighted vision can be corrected by using a diverging
lens ( making the light less convergent).
pq (25)( −50)
f= = = +50cm = 0.50m P= 1/0.5m =2.0 diopters
p+q 25 − 50
A converging lens

Example
A nearsighted person has a far point of 25 cm. What power
lens will correct this to normal vision. (ignore the
distance between the lens and the eye. 5.2 Optical Instruments
unfocused focused

25 cm • Simple magnifier
object virtual image • Compound microscope
Use a lens that can take an object at infinity and form a
virtual image at 25 cm. • Telescope
1 1 1 1 1 1
+ = + =
p q f ∞ −25 f A diverging lens
1
f=-25 cm=-0.25m P= = −4.0diopters
−0.25

2
 Magnifiers Angular size
How do we image small objects? Not to scale
25 cm
unfocused
• We can image a small object by bringing it close to
our eye.
θ
• But we cannot bring it closer than the near point.
(we can’t focus on it). P

• A magnifier can produce a larger image of the image on

The angle θ increases as p decreases retina
object at the near point (or farther away) that can be
The image size increases
focused on by the eye.

• Key concept - Angular magnification Objects closer than the near point are not in
focus.

Simple Magnifier How does it work?

A converging lens in combination with the lens of
the eye forms an image on the retina from an object Produces an enlarged virtual image at a distance from
closer than the near point of the eye. the eye (from 25 cm to infinity) that the eye can focus on.
Ignore the distance
25 cm between the lens and h’ 25 cm
the eye object
virtual
image
h θ h
•
q f p

θ Increases Simple Magnifier

Angular Magnification Angular magnification

The angular magnification is the ratio of θ for the magnified
image compared to value of θo for the object at the near
point of the eye. (25 cm)
θ
The angular magnification for the simple
m= magnifier can have a range of values
θo
25 cm
Magnified
h’
object
because the focal length of the eye can
virtual
image θ vary due to accommodation.
h
•
f
The simplest case is the magnification for
25 cm
Unmagnified the relaxed eye. (focused at infinity)
h θo

3
 Angular magnification increases at short
θ increases at short object distances
object distances Simple Magnifier
Simple Magnifier 25 cm
25 cm
object
object
θ
θ h
h

• •
q = -infinity f p
q = -infinity f p

Object at the focal point. p = f 25 cm

Image at - infinity q = - infinity Unmagnified
h θo
The linear magnification is infinite (not useful) but the angular
size is well defined. h h
θ≈ θo ≈
25cm
h for small angles h f
tan θ = tan θ ~ θ θ≈ θ 25cm
f
f
Angular magnification
m= = f is the focal length
θ0 f of the lens in cm.

Simple magnifier. Simple magnifiers.

A simple magnifier with a focal length of 5.0 The angular magnification for a single lens is
cm is used to view an insect. What is the limited by aberration to about 4.
angular magnification for a relaxed eye? Combination lenses can have
magnification to about 20.
25cm 25cm
m= = = 5.0
f 5.0cm

Compound Microscopes. Compound microscope

Magnification by 2 lenses.
Objective lens – Produces an enlarged Eyepiece

real image of the object.

Eyepiece – Used like a simple magnifier to Objective

view the image.

The net angular magnification of the product
of the two magnifications.

4
 Compound microscope Compound microscope

Not to scale Not to scale

The objective lens produces a magnified real image I1 The objective lens produces a magnified real image I1
The image is viewed through the eyepiece. The image is viewed through the eyepiece.

M M q1 L 25cm For relaxed eye

a Moa = − ≈− me =
p1 fo fe

Magnification Magnification
A compound microscope has an objective
lens and eyepiece with a focal lengths of
1.5 cm and 2.0 cm respectively. The
microscope is 20 cm long. Find the
angular magnification
Overall angular magnification
L (25cm) 20 (25cm)
m=− =− = −167
L (25cm) fo fe 1.5 2.0
m = M1me = −
fo fe
Magnification increases when fe and fe get smaller.

Refracting Telescope telescope

Two lenses
Objective lens – produces a reduced image
of a distant object near the focal point. h'
θ=
Eyepiece – used to magnify the image. fe
h'
θo =
fo

θ fo focus at infinity
Angular magnification m= =
θo fe

5
 Telescope Hubble Telescope Image of M100 Spiral Galaxy (NASA)

The Hubble space telescope has an

objective mirror with a focal length of 57.8
m viewed with optics equivalent to an
eyepiece with a focal length of 7.2x10-3m
What is the angular magnification?

fo 57.8
m= = = 8.0x103
fe 7.2x10 −3

Limits to magnification
Why can’t we use light microscopes to see atoms?

• For refracting optics there are problems of

chromatic and spherical aberration.
• Problems in precision in constructing the
refracting and reflecting surfaces.
• Diffraction – A basic problems having to
do with the wave nature of light (discussed
next week)