Question

A lens is a transparent medium bounded by two surfaces, with one or both surfaces being spherical. The focal length of a lens is determined by the radii of curvature of its two surfaces and the refractive index of its medium with respect to that of the surrounding medium. The power of a lens is reciprocal of its focal length. If a number of lenses are kept in contact, the power of the combination is the algebraic sum of the powers of the individual lenses.

A ray of light is incident normally on a refracting face of a prism of prism angle A and suffers a deviation of angle δ. Prove that the refractive index n of the material of the prism is given by n = sin(A + δ)/sin A.

Assertion (A) : A convex lens, when immersed in a liquid, disappears. Reason (R) : The refractive indices of material of the lens and the liquid are equal.

A lens is a transparent optical medium bounded by two surfaces; at least one of which should be spherical. Applying the formula of image formation by a single spherical surface successively at the two surfaces of a thin lens, a formula known as lens maker's formula and hence the basic lens formula can be obtained. The focal length (or power) of a lens depends on the radii of its surfaces and the refractive index of its material with respect to the surrounding medium. The refractive index of a material depends on the wavelength of light used. Combination of lenses helps us to obtain diverging or converging lenses of desired power and magnification.