THE PRACTICE STUDIO
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PRACTICE / Refraction at a spherical surface
Focus at a single surface
Light travels left to right from air (n₁ = 1.0) into a semi-infinite medium (n₂ = 1.5) through a spherical surface. A point object is 0.30 m left of the vertex. The center of curvature is 0.10 m right of the vertex.
Find the signed image distance from the vertex, taking right as positive.
Organize the givens & assumptions
- n₁ = 1.0, n₂ = 1.5
- u = −0.30 m
- R = +0.10 m
Paraxial refraction at a single interface; u = −0.30 m and R = +0.10 m in the stated Cartesian convention.
- A
- B
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- D
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