Lateral Inversion of Images Formed by Convex & Concave Lenses

[canoluk2003]

Lens problem!

Hi guys,
When an object is placed in front of a convex lens ( not between Focus and optical centre ), the image formed on the other side should be inverted and real. My question is, with the mentioned placement of the object, will the image be laterally inverted? Further more, will a virtual image formed by the same lens be laterally inverted?

Same question for concave lenses.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Simon Bridge]

My question is, with the mentioned placement of the object, will the image be laterally inverted? Further more, will a virtual image formed by the same lens be laterally inverted?

Sketch the ray diagrams and see :) Seriously - this is an important exercise that you have to do for yourself to get the benefit.

Draw an "overhead" diagram for an object that has a distinct left-right about it.

caveat:
The external shape of the lens is not sufficient, by itself, to determine it's affect on light. A given "biconvex lens" may not behave as expected - the behavior depends on the refractive index of the lens material and that for the surrounding medium as well as the shape. In your case, a better description would be "converging lens" - since parallel rays converge towards the focus. The opposite is "diverging lens" since parallel light diverges from the opposite focus.

 

[canoluk2003]

Hi man, thanks for the reply. I still can't draw the ray diagram u have mentioned.. Mind giving some help? ; (

 

[Simon Bridge]

Can you draw the regular one?

Imagine, the z axis going along the optic axis of the diagram.
The regular arrow you use for the diagram points along the y-axis ... and you look at the setup along the x-axis to get the usual setup.

Just imagine there is another arrow along the x-axis and draw what it looks like looking down the y-axis. Then draw in principal rays for this setup.

(If you are really good you can draw it in 3D.)

 

[sardar]

I can confirm that the image formed by both convex and concave lenses will be laterally inverted when the object is placed in front of the lens, as long as it is not between the focus and optical centre. This is due to the way light rays are refracted by the lens, causing the image to appear upside down compared to the object. This is a well-known phenomenon in optics and is used in technologies such as cameras and microscopes.

Additionally, a virtual image formed by a convex or concave lens will also be laterally inverted. This is because a virtual image is formed when the light rays appear to be coming from a certain point behind the lens, rather than actually converging at that point. Therefore, the same principles of refraction apply and the image will still be laterally inverted.

I hope this answers your question and provides a better understanding of lateral inversion in images formed by convex and concave lenses. Keep exploring and asking questions about the fascinating world of optics!