Help! Confused on Ray Diagram for Exam Question

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around confusion regarding ray diagrams for lenses in an exam context. The original poster drew a ray diagram for a diverging lens but was marked correct by the teacher, leading to uncertainty about the accuracy of their work. Participants noted that the teacher's lack of instruction on lens symbols contributed to the confusion, with some expressing frustration over the teacher's teaching style and lack of engagement. Despite the complaints, others emphasized the importance of textbooks as reliable sources for understanding physics concepts. The consensus suggests that the original poster's diagram should have been marked incorrect, highlighting the need for clearer instruction on lens types.
Eveflutter
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Fairly simple question I'd like someone to help with please. My teacher has me confused so I figured I'd turn to the forums for help.

1. Alright, so in an exam we had a ray diagram to draw. "Complete the ray diagram shown in Figure 6" they said (I sketched a replica * thumbs up* hongjinyoungreferenceimsorry):
image.jpg


Alrighty. (No relevant equations so I'm jumping to step three)3. I attempted it because, you know, it was an exam. I drew these emerging rays in yellow:

image.jpg


However, after the exam, I realized I drew it wrong? The lens seemed to be a diverging one so I sulked thinking that I'd get it wrong. I reattempted all the questions in the exam at home and I drew this for this particular question:
image.jpg

Since the lens seems to be divergent, the rays should diverge, no?

But no! I received my exam paper and my teacher marked the exam ray diagram correct and gave me the two marks that came with it.

So I'd really appreciate it if someone would deliver me from this time of confusion. Does that really represent a diverging lens so the third picture is correct? Or is it a converging lens so that the second picture is correct?
Thanks in advance!
 
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I find it strange the symbols for the various lenses were not introduced before the exam. Did other students complain?
 
mfig said:
I find it strange the symbols for the various lenses were not introduced before the exam. Did other students complain?
Its not that strange, honestly, it's just how it is. You see, my teacher rarely ever attends classes and when he does, he reaches sometimes twenty minutes before the bell rings and simply lectures us on life goals, the expectations of us, and talks about the country's state. He hardly teaches. It's up to us to either go to paid classes outside school or dive into our textbooks and learn everything there. We've complained so many times but they haven't done anything about it. We asked other teachers about it and they said that he does this to every class, every year. It's unfair.

I learn from my textbook. They mainly focused on converging lenses and showed us ray diagrams for them.
 
mfig said:
I find it strange the symbols for the various lenses were not introduced before the exam. Did other students complain?
They drew the converging lenses like a ellipse-diamond mutant.
 
I do not think that this is the place to post opinions of teachers.
The answers and explanations to physics questions have nothing to do with the competence of teachers either here or elsewhere.
Text books are a good source of exlanation.
 
Eveflutter said:
So I'd really appreciate it if someone would deliver me from this time of confusion. Does that really represent a diverging lens so the third picture is correct?
Yes. Your exam answer should have been marked wrong.
 
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haruspex said:
Yes. Your exam answer should have been marked wrong.
Thanks!
 
lychette said:
I do not think that this is the place to post opinions of teachers.
The answers and explanations to physics questions have nothing to do with the competence of teachers either here or elsewhere.
Text books are a good source of exlanation.

"mfig" asked so I answered. But thanks, I'll keep you advice in mind for future threads. :ok:
And yeah, textbooks are great sources for explanations.
 
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