How do you compute the magnification, location of the image and the image's orientation (upright or inverted and real or virtual)?
I'm using the phet refraction of light simulation and my teachers wants me to describe and verify the image through calculations. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
see
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/Lesson-5/The-Mathematics-of-Lenses
thank youu
To compute the magnification, location of the image, and determine its orientation (upright or inverted and real or virtual), you can follow these steps:
1. Set up the experiment in the simulation: Place an object in front of a lens or a mirror in the simulation, adjust the object's position, and select a lens shape or mirror type.
2. Determine the focal length of the lens or mirror: In the simulation, you should be able to input the focal length directly or adjust it until you achieve the desired effect.
3. Measure the object distance (distance of the object from the lens or mirror) and the image distance (distance of the image from the lens or mirror): In the simulation, you can usually measure these distances directly using measurement tools provided.
4. Calculate the magnification: The magnification (M) can be calculated using the formula: M = -image distance / object distance. The negative sign indicates whether the image is inverted or not. If M is positive, the image is upright; if negative, it is inverted.
5. Determine the image location: If the image distance (di) is positive, the image is formed on the opposite side of the object (real image); if di is negative, the image is formed on the same side as the object (virtual image).
6. Verify the image orientation: The sign of the magnification (positive or negative) determines whether the image is upright or inverted. A positive magnification indicates an upright image, and a negative magnification indicates an inverted image.
You can repeat these steps for different positions of the object and lens or mirror in the simulation to collect multiple data points, and then evaluate the trends or patterns in the calculated magnification and image location to draw conclusions.
Remember, the specific steps and tools may vary depending on the simulation or software you are using, so refer to the user manual or instructions provided by the simulation for more accurate information on using the specific features of the simulation.