Ray diagrams are useful tools for determining the location of an image as produced by a concave mirror. Of all the rays which emanate from the top of the object arrow and are incident to the mirror, there are two rays whose behavior at...

Defines the refraction of light and provides an applet for investigating it.

An app for investigating the operation of a refracting telescope. The location of the eyepiece and objective lens can be altered, and the focal point and path of light through the lenses can be observed.

This interactive unit will help students to understand the basics of geometric optics. Learn what happens when light strikes the boundary between two media as well as the difference between a real and virtual image? Also explore the law...

This physics department site explains how prisms work and their purpose in the dispersion of light. Explains the angle of deviation and includes an interactive form in which visitors calculate the angle of deviation and receive immediate...

Light travels as waves. Waves can be described by their amplitude, wavelength and frequency. The speed of a wave can be calculated from its frequency and wavelength.

Through illustrated examples and interactive practice problems, students explore the details of Snell's Law.

The purpose of this tutorial is to summarize object-image relationships by dividing the possible object locations into five general areas or points.

Using the Lens Equation and the Magnification Equations, students determine numerical information about image distance and image size.

Students take an in-depth look at the physics behind image formation.

This site from Georgia State University is an indexing page for several other pages on the topic of reflection. Topics are treated in an understandable manner and utilize meaningful graphics.

This physics department site features an indexing page for a variety of pages pertaining to atmospheric optics. Topics include rainbows, halos, auroras, mirages, star twinkling, sunsets, green flashes, coronas, and more. Excellent...

This tutorial looks at the anatomy of the eye and how the sense of sight works. This is the first part of a learning module. Subsequent sections cover how images are formed and detected, the concept of accommodation where the eye adjusts...

Several short descriptions of demonstrations which illustrate principles of geometric optics (many of which focus upon refraction).

Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...

Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the scientific findings and developments which led to the invention and refinement of the microscope. Includes a short biographical sketch and...

A collection of video lectures from a course that explores the application of electrical engineering topics. Webpage includes twenty-eight lectures from a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Lectures vary in length and...

This site from the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research provides an illustrated article about the phenomenon of rainbows.

Illustrated diagrams in this tutorial help students understand the properties and functions of lenses.

Students discover the four parts of the eye are the most instrumental in the task of producing images that are discernible by the brain.

A brief introduction to the physics side of farsightedness, and how lenses correct this vision defect.

A brief introduction to the physics side of nearsightedness, and how lenses correct this vision defect.

Lesson 3 of this tutorial on refraction is on concave mirrors. Content that is covered includes the anatomy of curved mirrors, reflection of light and image formation, ray diagrams, image characteristics for concave mirrors, plus more.

Have you ever wondered why some people need glasses and others don't? It's because of the way light is focused by the lens in your eye. This lens, like magnifying glasses, eyeglasses, and contact lenses, is considered a thin lens.