Trying to find the image of an object reflected through a lens and

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the optics of a system involving a thin lens and a plane mirror. The original poster presents a scenario where a bright object is placed at a specific location, and light passes through a lens, reflects off a mirror, and then passes through the lens again to form an image. The problem includes determining the location and nature of the final image as well as its height.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to use ray diagrams to visualize the path of light through the lens and mirror but expresses uncertainty about the behavior of the rays after reflection. Some participants discuss the relationship between object and image distances in the context of real and virtual images, while others suggest sharing diagrams for clarity.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the nature of images formed by real and virtual objects, but there is no explicit consensus on the final image location or height yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the specific distances involved in the setup, including the placement of the mirror and the implications for object and image distances. There is a mention of the law of reflection and its application in this context, but some assumptions about the ray behavior remain under discussion.

exparrot
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then through a plane mirror (I could put that all down in the title!)

Homework Statement



A bright object 1 cm tall is located at x = -6 cm. There is a thin lens atx = 0 with focal length f = 4 cm, and a plane mirror located at x = 7 cm. Light from the object passes through the lens, reflects off the mirror, and then passes through the lens again to form an image.

(a) Where is the final image located? Is it real or virtual?

(b) What is the height of the final image?

Homework Equations



I drew a ray diagram for when the object is reflected through the lens. Disregarding the plane mirror, I found image is inverted at about 12 cm. I know that that the rays should reflect off the plane mirror (following the law of reflection), but when I draw my rays, the focal ray, which is perpendicular to the plane mirror, is reflected in the same direction it hit the mirror. However my parallel and central rays hit the bottom of the lens and then I'm not quite sure what the rays should look like after that.

The Attempt at a Solution



Drew my ray diagram for when the object is reflected through the lens. Not quite sure how to work around the plane mirror...
 
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Mirror is placed at 7 am from the lens. So the distance of the virtual object behind the mirror is 5 cm. In the mirror object distance equal to the image distance. If the object is real, image is virtual. And If the object is virtual, the image is real. Hence the image is real at 2 cm from the lens. Now find the final image.
 
Since most of your work is a ray diagram it would be good if you post it here...
 
rl.bhat said:
Mirror is placed at 7 am from the lens. So the distance of the virtual object behind the mirror is 5 cm. In the mirror object distance equal to the image distance. If the object is real, image is virtual. And If the object is virtual, the image is real. Hence the image is real at 2 cm from the lens. Now find the final image.

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for your help!
 

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