Concave and Convex mirrors lab
Part 1 Find the focal length of your concave mirror
0. read through this part and make up a data table
1. Set up equipment in accordance with teacher example and figure 2
Your mirror/meter stick assembly will be on one side of the room and the light source will be on the
other.
2. Point the mirror at your light source which is across the room.
3. Move the cardboard screen toward the mirror until you get a bright focused image on the
screen.
4. measure the distance from the mirror to the screen. Record focal length (F) in your data table.
5. Look at figure 1 and use it to determine the center of curvature for your mirror. Record center
of curvature (C) in your data table.
Part 2 Find the image distance for a concave mirror
0. read through this part and copy Table 2 into your notebook.
1. Set up equipment in accordance with teacher example and figure 3 – NOTE we will be using
little candles instead of little light bulbs. Your WILL NOT be using the light sources on the other
side of the room.
2. Place the candle (object) at a distance greater than C. measure and record this distance as
object distance (do)
3. Measure the height (ho) of the lit candle and record in data table.
4. Move the cardboard screen back and forth along its meter stick until you get a bright focused
image on the screen. Measure the distance of the screen to the mirror as image distance (di)
5. Measure the height of the image and record as image height (hi)
6. Move the candle to C and repeat steps 2-5.
7. Move the candle to a distance that is between F and C and repeat steps 2-5.
8. Move the candle to F and try to locate an image – record your observation
9. Move the candle to a distance that is between F and A and try to locate an image – record your
observation
Concave and Convex mirrors lab
Part 1 Find the focal length of your concave mirror
0. read through this part and make up a data table
1. Set up equipment in accordance with teacher example and figure 2
Your mirror/meter stick assembly will be on one side of the room and the light source will be on the
other.
2. Point the mirror at your light source which is across the room.
3. Move the cardboard screen toward the mirror until you get a bright focused image on the
screen.
4. measure the distance from the mirror to the screen. Record focal length (F) in your data table.
5. Look at figure 1 and use it to determine the center of curvature for your mirror. Record center
of curvature (C) in your data table.
Part 2 Find the image distance for a concave mirror
0. read through this part and copy Table 2 into your notebook.
1. Set up equipment in accordance with teacher example and figure 3 – NOTE we will be using
little candles instead of little light bulbs. Your WILL NOT be using the light sources on the other
side of the room.
2. Place the candle (object) at a distance greater than C. measure and record this distance as
object distance (do)
3. Measure the height (ho) of the lit candle and record in data table.
4. Move the cardboard screen back and forth along its meter stick until you get a bright focused
image on the screen. Measure the distance of the screen to the mirror as image distance (di)
5. Measure the height of the image and record as image height (hi)
6. Move the candle to C and repeat steps 2-5.
7. Move the candle to a distance that is between F and C and repeat steps 2-5.
8. Move the candle to F and try to locate an image – record your observation
9. Move the candle to a distance that is between F and A and try to locate an image – record your
observation
Analysis
1. for each trial for part 2 draw a ray tracing diagram and show the
position of the object, image, focal point and center of curvature.
Show the position of the image using ray tracing.
2. Describe the image produced for each trial for part 2 (real
,inverted, virtual, erect)
3. for each trial for part 2 use the mirror equation to calculate the
expected position of the image (di).
4. Calculate the percent difference for image distance using the
calculated value as “shoulda got”
5. Summarize the characteristics of images formed by convex
mirrors.
Conclusion
Summarize results and what was learned.
Analysis
1. for each trial for part 2 draw a ray tracing diagram and show the
position of the object, image, focal point and center of curvature.
Show the position of the image using ray tracing.
2. Describe the image produced for each trial for part 2 (real
,inverted, virtual, erect)
3. for each trial for part 2 use the mirror equation to calculate the
expected position of the image (di).
4. Calculate the percent difference for image distance using the
calculated value as “shoulda got”
5. Summarize the characteristics of images formed by convex
mirrors.
Conclusion
Summarize results and what was learned.