Dark Room Activity

(FOR ILLUSTARION ONLY: NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE COPY)

Change screen
position to vary v
Change candle position
to vary u

u v

Lens position keep fixed at 75 cm

Step1: Measure the rough focal length of the convex lens (let it be 16cm
for example). Put it on observation 1 in the table.

Step2: Keeping lens position fixed at 75cm change candle position to

adjust your desired u (for example, place it at 43cm so that u= 75-43 = 32
cm ( = 2 × 16 = 2F as in 3rd observation in the table)) and note down in the
table.

Step3: Now by adjusting screen position try to get a clearest image of the
candle on the screen and then obtain the screen position (let it be 108cm).
Now calculate v by subtracting screen position from lens position (for
example v= 108-75= 33 cm = 2F approximately as in observation 3 in the
table) and note down in the table.

Step4: Repeat the above steps for all the observations in the table.
Lab Manual of Dept. of Physics, RGJC Page 1
 Activity No. 5B

Aim: To study the nature and size of the image formed by a convex lens, on a screen by
using a candle and a screen.

Apparatus and materials: An optical bench with three uprights, a convex lens with a
holder, a burning candle and a white cardboard screen.

Theory: Lens formula is given by = − and image size can be obtained from
magnification = . The size and nature of the image of an object formed by a convex lens
on the screen depends upon the position of the object with respect to the lens in accordance
to the above equations.

Procedure: (i) The rough focal length of

the convex lens is determined by forming
a sharp and clear image of a distant
object on a white paper screen.

(ii) The convex lens on the holder is

mounted on the central upright of the
optical bench. The screen is mounted on
the right hand side and the cand candle is
mounted on the left hand side of the lens.
Their heights are so adjusted that the tip of the candle flame, the centre of the lens and the
centre of the screen lie in the same straight line parallel to the length of the optical bench.
Fig: Ray diagram

(iii) The candle upright is placed beyond 2F on the optical bench. The screen upright is
adjusted to form the sharp, real and inverted image on the screen. Size of the image is noted.

(iv) The candle upright is placed at 2F. The po

position
sition of the screen is adjusted to get a sharp,
inverted and magnified image.

(v) The candle upright is placed between F and 2F. The position of the screen is adjusted to
get a sharp, inverted and magnified image.

(vi) The candle upright is placed at F. The image is formed at infinity.

Lab Manual of Dept. of Physics, RGJC Page 2

Observations:
Rough focal length of the lens, F = ….. cm.

Table for position and nature of the image formed by a convex lens

No. of Position of
Observation Object (Candle) u Image (Screen) v Nature of Image
s (cm.) (cm.)
1 At infinity - At F Real, inverted, diminished
2 Beyond 2F Between F and Real, inverted, diminished
2F
3 At 2F At 2F Real, inverted, same size
4 Between F and Beyond 2F Real, inverted, magnified
2F
5 At F At infinity Virtual, erect, magnified

Conclusion: The position, nature and size of the image is according to theoretical
predictions.

Lab Manual of Dept. of Physics, RGJC Page 3