Light: Reflection and Refraction

What is light?

Light is a form of energy that makes things visible.

Why do we see objects?

We see objects because they reflect light into our eyes.

What occurs when light bounces off a surface?

This phenomenon is called reflection.

What are mirrors?

Mirrors are highly reflective surfaces.

What does the angle of incidence equal to?

The angle of reflection.

How are the incident ray, reflected ray, and normal related?

They all lie in the same plane.

What is a concave mirror?

A mirror that curves inward and can create real or virtual images depending on object position.

Where are concave mirrors typically used?

In telescopes, headlights, and makeup mirrors.

What is a convex mirror?

A mirror that curves outward and always creates virtual, upright, and smaller images.

Where are convex mirrors used?

In security mirrors and car side mirrors for a wider field of view.

What is refraction of light?

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another.

What is Snell's Law?

The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is constant for a given pair of media.

What is the refractive index?

A measure of how much a substance can bend light.

What is a convex lens?

A lens that is thicker in the middle and converges light rays.

What are some uses of convex lenses?

In magnifying glasses, cameras, and eyeglasses for farsightedness.

What is a concave lens?

A lens that is thicker at the edges and diverges light rays.

Where are concave lenses used?

In eyeglasses for nearsightedness and some telescopes.

What does the power of a lens indicate?

How strongly a lens converges or diverges light.

What is the mirror formula?

1/f = 1/v + 1/u, where f is the focal length, v is the distance of the image, and u is the distance of the object.

What is the magnification formula for mirrors?

m = hᵢ/h₀ = -v/u, where hᵢ is the height of the image and h₀ is the height of the object.

What is the lens formula?

1/f = 1/v + 1/u, similar to the mirror formula.

What is the magnification formula for lenses?

m = hᵢ/h₀ = -v/u, applicable for both mirrors and lenses.

How to calculate the power of a lens?

P = 1/f, where f is the focal length in meters.