GCSE Physics Revision — Lenses & Images
Revise Lenses & Images for GCSE Physics with a topic explanation, worked example and common mistakes. Check the board notes for specification differences.
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What is Lenses & Images?
Lenses are curved pieces of glass or plastic that refract light to form an image. There are two main types: converging (convex) lenses, which bring parallel rays of light to a focus, and diverging (concave) lenses, which spread parallel rays of light out. The image formed can be real (can be projected onto a screen) or virtual (cannot be projected).
Board notes: Covered by all major boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR). Ray diagrams for both types of lenses are a key skill, especially for Higher Tier.
Step-by-step explanationWorked examples
Worked example
An object is placed at twice the focal length (2F) from a converging lens. Describe the image formed. Solution: A ray diagram would show that the image is formed at 2F on the other side of the lens. The image is real, inverted, and the same size as the object. This is the setup used in a simple photocopier.
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Common mistakes
- 1Confusing converging and diverging lenses. A converging lens is thicker in the middle, while a diverging lens is thinner in the middle.
- 2Incorrectly drawing ray diagrams. You must use the standard rules for drawing rays through lenses to accurately locate the image.
- 3Mixing up the properties of real and virtual images. Real images are inverted and can be formed on a screen. Virtual images are upright and cannot be formed on a screen.
Lenses & Images exam questions
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Frequently asked questions
What is the focal length of a lens?
The focal length is the distance from the centre of the lens to the principal focus. The principal focus is the point where parallel rays of light are brought to a focus (for a converging lens) or appear to diverge from (for a diverging lens).
How does a magnifying glass work?
A magnifying glass uses a converging lens. When you hold the lens close to an object (closer than the focal length), it produces a magnified, virtual, and upright image.