Important Terms in a Lens
- Optical centre (C): The optical centre is the centre of the lens. The ray of light passing through the optical centre will not deviate.
- Principal axis: The line that passes through the centre of curvature and the optical centre is called the principal axis.
- Centre of curvature: The centre of the sphere of which the lens is a part is called the centre of curvature.
- Focal point or focus: The point on the principal axis where all the light rays will meet is known as the focal point.
- Focal length: The distance between the focus and the pole is called the focal length. The focal length is half of the radius of curvature.
Ray Optics – Definition, Formula, Applications
Ray Optics is the study of properties of light and optical instruments by assuming that light travels in a straight line. It is also known as geometrical optics, which deals with the geometry of light. Light always travels in a straight line, and the direction in which the light rays propagate is called the ray of light. It studies the principles and laws governing the propagation of light, particularly in the absence of wave effects such as interference and diffraction.
In this article, we will learn about ray optics, reflection, refraction, concave and convex mirrors, lenses, and formulas related to them.