1. The Optics FilesThe Optics Files
Using Mirrors and Lenses

2. Key Objectives:Key Objectives:
The student will investigate and
understand the interaction of
light waves

3. Key Objectives:Key Objectives:
Predict the characteristics of
the images formed by lenses
and mirrors
– Illustrate and describe reflection
and refraction of visible light

4. Key Objectives:Key Objectives:
Describe the behavior of light
waves
– Understand that light travels in
straight lines and is reflected,
absorbed or transmitted

5. Key Objectives:Key Objectives:
– Understand that light travels
through media and undergoes a
change in speed that causes it to
bend when it does so

6. Key Objectives:Key Objectives:
– Understand that when light
strikes an uneven surface or
passes through an opening it can
reflect or diffract

7. Key Objectives:Key Objectives:
– Understand constructive and
destructive interference
regarding light waves

8. Law of Reflection
States that the angle of incidence
(direction in) is equal to the angle
of reflection (direction out)

9. Reflection
The bouncing back of a ray of
light, sound or heat when it hits
a surface

10. Plane Mirror
A mirror with a flat smooth
surface it reflects a ‘true’
reversed image
– Bathroom Mirror

11. Concave Mirror
A mirror that is curved inward.
(Like a bowl) It reflects an upright
larger image when inside the
focal point and an inverted
smaller image when outside the
focal point
– Compact or Make-up mirror

12. Convex Mirror
A mirror that bends outward from
the center. It reflects a distorted
smaller image but allows you to
see around corners.
– Bus mirrors
– Security mirrors

13. Diffraction
The change in direction of waves
as they bend around a
corner/edge or around an
obstacle or pass through an
opening or slit.

14. Refraction
The bending of light as light waves
pass through different mediums

15. Concave Lens
A lens that bends inward to center.
The light waves move outward as they
pass through causing an image on the
other side to appear smaller.
– Glasses

16. Convex Lens
A lens that bends outward from the
center.

17. Convex Lens
As light passes through, it focuses
the light into a fine beam and the
light and images on the other side
appear larger
– Magnifying glasses
– Reading glasses

18. Interference
The combination of two or more
waves that results in a single wave.

19. Essential Learnings
Light waves travel in straight lines
until they strike an object and then
they are either reflected, absorbed
or transmitted

20. Essential Learnings
Reflection is the “bouncing back” of
light waves
– There is a Law that governs
reflection stating that the Angle of
Incidence = Angle of Reflection

21. Essential Learnings
Refraction is the slowing and
bending of light waves as light
passes through a medium

22. Essential Learnings
There are three types of mirrors
that reflect light
– Plane
– Concave
– Convex

23. Essential Learnings
Plane Mirror - Reflects a true
sized image, upright and reversed

24. Essential Learnings
Concave Mirror –Makes
a larger upright image
inside the focal point, a
smaller inverted image
outside the focal point

25. Essential Learnings
Convex –Produce
smaller distorted but
always upright images

26. Essential Learnings
There are two types of lenses that
refract or bend light
– Concave
– Convex

27. Essential Learnings
ConcaveLens – Spreads out
(Diverge) light
Convex Lens Focus (Converge)
light

28. Essential Learnings
Diffraction is the bending of light
and the production of new waves
when waves strike an edge or
opening

29. Essential Learnings
Interference takes place when two
or more light or sound waves
overlap or combine it can be either:
– Constructive – Increases Energy
– Destructive – Decreases Energy

30. Essential Learnings
Constructive Interference –
Increases Energy
Destructive – Decreasese Energy