Mirrors & Lenses – Ch. 29-30 Study Guide

Important Terms

1. angle of incidence
2. angle of reflection
3. concave mirror
4. convex mirror
5. critical angle
6. diffuse reflection
7. law of reflection
8. fiber optic
9. plane mirror
10. real image
11. reflection
12. refraction
13. specular reflection
14. total internal reflection
15. virtual image
16. converging lens
17. diverging lens
18. focal length
19. focal point
20. lens
21. vertical axis
22. principal axis
23. ray diagram

Important Questions

1. Describe the image formed by a plane mirror.

2. Describe the image formed by convex mirror.

3. Describe the image formed when an object is (a) beyond the focal point of a concave mirror; (b) at the focal point; and (c) inside the focal point.

4. What is the difference between diffuse and specular reflection?  When is diffuse reflection a good thing?  When is specular reflection a bad thing?

5. What causes refraction?  What are some optical illusions that are due to the refraction of light in different materials?

6. What is total internal reflection?  What is an important application of it?

7. What is the difference between a converging and a diverging lens?

8. Describe the image formed by a diverging lens.

9. Describe the image formed by a converging lens when the object is
1. at the focal point.
2. between one and two focal lengths from the lens.
3. two focal lengths away from the lens.
4. beyond two focal lengths away from the lens.
5. at infinity.