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Geometric Optics

Geometric Optics Screenshot Download 552 kB
Version: 2.05 (change log)
How does a lens form an image? See how light rays are refracted by a lens. Watch how the image changes when you adjust the focal length of the lens, move the object, move the lens, or move the screen.

See Below

Teaching Resources

Main Topics

  • Refraction
  • Lens
  • Optics

Sample Learning Goals

  • Explain how an image is formed by a converging lens using ray diagrams.
  • How changing the lens (radius, index and diameter) effects where the image appears and how it looks (magnification, brightness and inversion.

Teaching Ideas

Title Authors Level Type Updated
Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 CQs 7/7/13
Wave unit (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Demo
Lab
CQs		 7/9/13
Wave clicker questions (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 CQs 7/9/13
Images from Convex Lenses (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS CQs
Lab		 7/9/13
Convex and Concave Lens Lab Kristin Michalski HS Lab 4/17/12
Optics Online Scott McCurdy MS
HS		 HW
Demo
CQs
Lab		 10/16/09
Lens Equation Experiment using Excel Ed Chomka HS Lab 1/26/09
Ray Optics PhET Lab Chris Bires HS
UG-Intro		 Lab 8/4/10
Lenses and their Images Stephan Graham, Mr. Cory Gaines HS Lab 4/20/07
Geometric Optics Amy Jordan HS Lab 9/18/07

You can submit your own ideas and activities.

Translated Versions:

Language Language (Translated) Simulation Title
Albanian shqipe geometric-optics Run Now
Arabic العربية هندسة البصريات Run Now
Basque Basque Optika Geometrikoa Run Now
Bosnian Bosnian Geometrijska optika Run Now
Brazilian Portuguese português (Brasil) Ótica Geométrica Run Now
Bulgarian български Геометрична оптика Run Now
Chinese - Simplified 中文 (中国) 几何光学 Run Now
Chinese - Traditional 中文 (台灣) Geometic Optics 幾何光學 Run Now
Croatian hrvatski Optička Klupa Run Now
Czech čeština geometric-optics Run Now
Danish Dansk Geometrisk optik Run Now
Dutch Nederlands geometric-optics Run Now
Estonian Eesti geomeetriline optika Run Now
Finnish suomi Geometrinen optiikka Run Now
French français Optique géométrique Run Now
Galician Gallegan Óptica Xeométrica Run Now
Georgian Georgian გეომეტრიული ოპტიკა Run Now
German Deutsch Geometrische Optik Run Now
Greek Ελληνικά geometric-optics Run Now
Hebrew עברית אופטיקה גאומטרית Run Now
Hungarian magyar Optika: gyűjtőlencse Run Now
Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia Optika Geometrik Run Now
Italian italiano Ottica geometrica Run Now
Japanese 日本語 幾何光学(Geometric Optics) Run Now
Kannada Kannada ದ್ಯುತಿ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ Run Now
Kazakh Kazakh Геометриялық оптика Run Now
Khmer Khmer អុបទិច​ធរណីមាត្រ Run Now
Korean 한국어 기하광학 Run Now
Latvian Latviešu Ģeometriskā optika Run Now
Lithuanian Lietuvių Geometrinė optika Run Now
Macedonian македонски Геометриска оптика Run Now
Marathi Marathi पकाशीय भूमिती Run Now
Mongolian Mongolian Геометр оптик Run Now
Persian Persian نور هندسی Run Now
Polish polski Optyka geometryczna Run Now
Portuguese português geometric-optics Run Now
Romanian română Optica Geometrică Run Now
Serbian Српски Геометријска оптика Run Now
Slovak Slovenčina Geometrická optika Run Now
Slovenian Slovenščina geometric-optics Run Now
Spanish español geometric-optics Run Now
Spanish (Peru) español (Perú) Óptica Geométrica Run Now
Swedish svenska Geometrisk optik Run Now
Turkish Türkçe Geometrik Optik Run Now
Turkmen Turkmen Geometriki optikasy Run Now
Ukrainian українська Геометрична оптика Run Now
Vietnamese Tiếng Việt Quang hình Run Now

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Macromedia Flash 9 or later 		OS 10.5 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later 		Macromedia Flash 9 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (developer/lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Interviewer: Mindy Gratny
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow
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