Review: Geometrical Optics

  1. Optics terminology
    • A `ray' is a beam of light (usually shown as an arrow)
    • The `incident' ray shows where the light originated
    • A ray can be reflected or refracted from a surface
    • The angle of any ray is measured from the perpendicular (normal) of the surface to the ray of the reflected light.

  2. Reflection
    • The law of reflection states that the angle of reflection tex2html_wrap_inline35 is equal to the angle of incidence tex2html_wrap_inline37 (tex2html_wrap_inline39).
    • What is meant by `diffuse' reflection?
    • How does `ray-tracing' locate the virtual image for a mirror?
    • What are convex and concave mirrors? What are the image sizes for various shapes of mirrors? What shape magnifies?

  3. Refraction
    • What is the refraction condition? (What is Snell's Law?)
    • How is the index of refraction defined?
    • What is the meaning of tex2html_wrap_inline41 and tex2html_wrap_inline43 in Snell's Law?
    • Under what conditions will total internal reflection occur?
    • What is a light pipe?

  4. Lenses
    • What are the shapes for a converging lens and a diverging lens?
    • How are the images for converging and diverging lenses? Can you construct an image via ray tracing?
    • What is the focal length of a lens or mirror, what is the focal point?
    • What happens to the light rays at the focal point for a converging lens?
    • How is the power of a lens measured?
    • What is a retroreflector?

Ch. Elster
Aug 26 14:27:03 EDT 2019