Magnification Flashcards

All 7 cards in this deck

What is the equation for the magnification produced by a lens?

$\text{magnification} = \dfrac{\text{image height}}{\text{object height}}$

What are the units of magnification?

None — magnification is a ratio, so it has no units.

In a magnification calculation, what units should image height and object height be measured in?

Both in the same unit — either both in mm or both in cm.

What are the steps to find the magnification of a lens from a ray diagram?
e.g. a diagram where the object is $2$ cm tall and the image is $6$ cm tall

1. Measure the object height with a ruler: $2$ cm.
2. Measure the image height in the same unit: $6$ cm.
3. Divide image height by object height: magnification $= 6 \div 2 = 3$.

What are the steps to find the image height from the magnification?
e.g. magnification $3$, object height $2$ cm

1. Rearrange: image height $=$ magnification $\times$ object height.
2. Substitute: $3 \times 2$.
3. Image height $= 6$ cm.

True or false? A magnification of less than 1 means the image is diminished.

True. The image height is smaller than the object height.

True or false? Magnification is measured in cm.

False. Magnification is a ratio of two heights, so it has no units.