CHENNAI PUBLIC SCHOOL
Anna Nagar Chennai -600 101
Spherical lenses Class X Physics Notes
A spherical lens is a transparent material bounded by two surfaces one or both of which
are spherical. Spherical lenses are of two main types. They are convex and concave lenses.
i) Convex lens :- is thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. Rays of light parallel to
the principal axis after refraction through a convex lens meet at a point (converge) on the
principal axis.
ii) Concave lens :- is thinner in the middle and thicker at the edges. Rays of light parallel to
the principal axis after refraction get diverged and appear o come from a point on the
principal axis on the same side of the lens.
Terms used in the study of spherical lens:-
Optical centre:
The central point of a lens is called its Optical Centre. A ray passes through optical centre
of a lens without any deviation.
Centre of curvature:
The centre of sphere of part of which a lens is formed is called the centre of curvature of
the lens. Since concave and convex lenses are formed by the combination of two parts of
spheres, therefore they have two centres of curvature.
Principal Axis:
Imaginary line that passes through the centres of curvature of a lens is called Principal
axis.
Focus:
Point at which parallel rays of light converge in a convex lens is called focus of the convex
lens. In a concave lens, parallel rays of light appear to diverge from a point called as Focus
or Principal Focus of the lens.
Focal Length:
The distance between optical centre and principal focus is called focal length of a lens.
Rules for ray diagrams -refraction - convex lens
1) In a convex lens a ray of light parallel to the principal axis
after refraction passes through the focus on the other side of
the lens.
2) In a convex lens a ray of light passing through the focus
after refraction goes parallel to the principal axis.
3) In a convex lens a ray of light passing through the
optical centre goes without any deviation.
Images formed by convex lens
(i)Object: At infinity
Image : At the focus
NATURE and SIZE :
Real and inverted
Highly diminished
(ii) Object: AT the focus
Image : infinity
NATURE and SIZE
Real and inverted ,Highly enlarged
(iii)Object: Beyond 2F
Image : Between F and 2F
NATURE and SIZE
Real and inverted diminished
(iv) Object: : Between F and 2F
Image : Beyond 2F
NATURE and SIZE
Real and inverted Enlarged
(v) Object: At 2F
Image : At 2F
NATURE and SIZE :
Real and inverted Same size
(vi) Object: Between F and P
Image : Behind the lens (same side of the
object)
NATURE and SIZE
Virtual and erect - Enlarged
Rules for ray diagram –Concave lens
In a concave lens, a ray of light parallel to the principal axis
after refraction appears to diverge from the focus.
In a concave lens a ray of light directed towards the focus after
refraction goes parallel to the principal axis.
In a concave lens a ray of light passing through the optical
centre goes without any deviation.
Images formed by concave lens
(i)Object: At infinity
Image : At the focus
NATURE and SIZE :
VIRTUAL AND ERECT
Highly diminished
(ii)Object: BETWEEN infinity and optical centre
Image : Same side of the object
NATURE and SIZE :
VIRTUAL AND ERECT
diminished
Sign convention for spherical lenses
(i)All distances are measured from the optical centre (O).
(ii)The focal length of a convex lens is positive ( + ve ) and the focal length of a concave
lens is negative ( - ve ).
(iii)The object is always placed on the left of the lens
iv) All distances measured to the right of the optic centre are taken as + [Link] distances
measured to the left of the optic centre are taken as – ve.
v) The height measured upwards perpendicular to the principal axis is taken as + ve. The
height measured downwards perpendicular to the principal axis is taken as – ve.
The degree of convergence or divergence of light rays achieved by a lens is expressed in
terms of its power.
Power of a lens is defined as the reciprocal of focal length of a lens in metres
SI Unit of power is Dioptre(D)
1 dioptre is the power of a lens whose focal length is 1 metre
power of a convex lens is positive and that of a concave lens is negative.
Many optical instruments consist of a number of lenses. They are combined to increase the
magnification and sharpness of the image. The net power (P ) of the lenses placed in
contact is given by the algebraic sum of the individual powers P1 , P2 , P3 , … as
P = P1 + P2 + P3 + …
