Page 1127 - College Physics For AP Courses

Chapter 25 | Geometric Optics 1115
25 GEOMETRIC OPTICS
Figure 25.1 Image seen as a result of reflection of light on a plane smooth surface. (credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video, via Flickr)
Chapter Outline
25.1. The Ray Aspect of Light
25.2. The Law of Reflection
25.3. The Law of Refraction
25.4. Total Internal Reflection
25.5. Dispersion: The Rainbow and Prisms 25.6. Image Formation by Lenses
25.7. Image Formation by Mirrors
Connection for AP® Courses
Many visual aspects of light result from the transfer of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves (Big Idea 6). Light from this page or screen is formed into an image by the lens of your eye, much like the lens of the camera that make a photograph. Mirrors, like lenses, can also form images that in turn are captured by your eye (Essential Knowledge 6.E.2, Essential Knowledge 6.E.4). In this chapter, you will explore the behavior of light as an electromagnetic wave and learn:
• what makes a diamond sparkle (Essential Knowledge 6.E.3),
• how images are formed by lenses for the purposes of magnification or photography (Essential Knowledge 6.E.5),
• why objects in some mirrors are closer than they appear (Essential Knowledge 6.E.2), and
• why clear mountain streams are always a little bit deeper than they appear to be.
You will examine different ways of thinking about and modeling light and when each method is most appropriate (Enduring Understanding 6.F, Essential Knowledge 6.F.4). You will also learn how to use simple geometry to predict how light will move when crossing from one medium to another, or when passing through a lens, or when reflecting off a curved surface (Enduring Understanding 6.E, Essential Knowledge 6.E.1). With this knowledge, you will be able to predict what kind of image will form when light interacts with matter.