Ray Optics and Optical Instruments

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in ray optics and optical instruments.

Light

Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between approximately 400 nm to 750 nm, detectable by the human eye.

Speed of Light (c)

The speed at which light travels in vacuum, accepted as approximately 3 × 10^8 m s–1.

Light

Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between approximately 400 nm to 750 nm, detectable by the human eye.

Speed of Light (c)

The speed at which light travels in vacuum, accepted as approximately 3 × 10^8 m s–1.

Ray of Light

A straight line that represents the path along which light travels.

Reflection of Light

The phenomenon where light bounces off a surface, following the laws of reflection.

Refraction of Light

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, described by Snell's law.

Focal Length (f)

The distance between the focal point and the lens or mirror, related to the curvature of the surface.

Principal Focus (F)

The point where parallel rays of light converge after passing through a lens or reflecting from a mirror.

Cartesian Sign Convention

A system for measuring distances in optics where distances measured in the direction of incident light are positive and those measured against it are negative.

Concave Mirror

A mirror that curves inward, where parallel light rays converge at a focal point in front of the mirror.

Convex Mirror

A mirror that curves outward, where parallel light rays diverge and appear to come from a focal point behind the mirror.

Total Internal Reflection

The phenomenon where light is completely reflected back into a medium when it hits the interface with a less dense medium at an angle greater than the critical angle.

Refractive Index (n)

A dimensionless number that describes how light propagates through a medium, defined as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to its speed in the medium.

Magnification (m)

The ratio of the height of the image to the height of the object, indicating how much larger or smaller the image is compared to the object.

Lens Maker's Formula

A formula used to calculate the focal length of a lens based on the radii of curvature of its surfaces and the refractive index of the lens material.

Power of a Lens (P)

The measure of the degree of convergence or divergence of light by a lens, calculated as P = 1/f, where f is in meters.

Optical Instruments

Devices that utilize the principles of reflection and refraction to manipulate light, such as microscopes and telescopes.

Snell's Law

The law describing the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes through different media: n1 sin(i) = n2 sin(r).