Geometric Optics

Geometric Optics Screenshot
  • Refraction
  • Lens
  • Optics

Topics

  • Refraction
  • Lens
  • Optics

Description

How does a lens form an image? See how light rays are refracted by a lens. Watch how the image changes when you adjust the focal length of the lens, move the object, move the lens, or move the screen.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Explain how an image is formed by a converging lens using ray diagrams.
  • How changing the lens (radius, index and diameter) effects where the image appears and how it looks (magnification, brightness and inversion.
Version 2.05

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS
MC Physics
Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS
Demo
Lab
HW
Physics
Wave unit (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
Lab
Demo
Physics
Wave clicker questions (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS
CQs Physics
Images from Convex Lenses (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS CQs
Lab
Physics
Exploring Converging Lenses A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Elyse Zimmer HS Lab Physics
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer MS
HS
Other Chemistry
Biology
Physics
Convex and Concave Lens Lab Kristin Michalski HS Lab Physics
Lens Inquiry Jeff Drach HS
MS
Guided Physics
Geometric Optics Amy Jordan HS Lab Physics
Optics Online Scott McCurdy MS
HS
HW
Demo
Lab
CQs
Physics
Lens Equation Experiment using Excel Ed Chomka HS Lab Physics
Lenses and their Images Stephan Graham, Mr. Cory Gaines HS Lab Physics
PREPARATORIA: Alineación de PhET con programas de la DGB México (2017) This contribution was designed by PhET. Diana López HS
UG-Intro
Other Chemistry
Physics
Mathematics
PRIMARIA: Alineación con programas de la SEP México (2011 y 2017) This contribution was designed by PhET. Diana López K-5
MS
Guided
Demo
Lab
HW
Discuss
Astronomy
Chemistry
Physics
Mathematics
Konvergentna leća Karmen Prugovečki MS Guided Physics
Vergroting en verkleining Zakaria Abdelmalek HS HW Physics
Oefenen lenzenformule en construeren beeld Vincent de Mol HS Other Physics
oefenen met lenzenformule Stephan Berendsen HS Lab Physics
Geomeetriline optika Siim Tõkke HS Lab
HW
Physics
幾何光学 Hiroto Kuninaka, Akira Ogihara, Taichiro Goto MS Lab
Guided
Physics
Óptica Geral (Atividades) nos OA's do PhET Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales HS
UG-Intro
MS
Other
Other
HW
Guided
Demo
Other
Mathematics
Physics
Earth Science
Lentes Convergentes (Conceitos) no "Geometric Optics" Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales MS
HS
Other
Other
Guided
HW
Physics
Earth Science
Other
Óptica Geométrica no "Geometric Optics" Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales Other
MS
HS
Other
HW
Guided
Earth Science
Other
Physics
Laboratorio de lentes convexas y cóncavas Kristin Michaslki (traslation Marta Espina) HS Lab Physics

Language Download or Run Tips
Albanian All shqip Run now geometric-optics
Arabic All العربية Run now هندسة البصريات
Basque All Euskara Run now Optika geometrikoa
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Геаметрычная оптыка
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now Geometrijska optika
Bulgarian All български Run now Геометрична оптика
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 几何光学
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now Geometic Optics 幾何光學
Croatian All hrvatski Run now Optička Klupa
Czech All čeština Run now geometric-optics
Danish All Dansk Run now Geometrisk optik
Dutch All Nederlands Run now geometric-optics
Estonian All Eesti Run now geomeetriline optika
Finnish All suomi Run now Geometrinen optiikka
French All français Run now Optique géométrique
Galician All Gallegan Run now Óptica Xeométrica
Georgian All ქართული Run now გეომეტრიული ოპტიკა
German All Deutsch Run now Geometrische Optik
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now geometric-optics
Hebrew All עברית Run now אופטיקה גאומטרית
Hungarian All magyar Run now Optika: gyűjtőlencse
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Optika Geometrik
Irish All Gaeilge Run now Optaic Gheoiméadrach
Italian All italiano Run now Ottica geometrica
Japanese All 日本語 Run now 幾何光学(Geometric Optics)
Kannada All Kannada Run now ದ್ಯುತಿ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now Геометриялық оптика
Khmer All Khmer Run now អុបទិច​ធរណីមាត្រ
Korean All 한국어 Run now 기하광학
Kurdish (Turkey) All Kurdish (Turkey) Run now Ronakzaniya Endazeyî
Latvian All Latviešu Run now Ģeometriskā optika
Lithuanian All Lietuvių Run now Geometrinė optika
Macedonian All македонски Run now Геометриска оптика
Marathi All मराठी Run now पकाशीय भूमिती
Mongolian All Монгол (Монгол) Run now Геометр оптик
Persian All فارسی Run now نور هندسی
Polish All polski Run now Optyka geometryczna
Portuguese All português Run now geometric-optics
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Ótica Geométrica
Romanian All română Run now Optica Geometrică
Serbian All Српски Run now Геометријска оптика
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Geometrická optika
Slovenian All Slovenščina Run now geometric-optics
Spanish All español Run now geometric-optics
Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Óptica Geométrica
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Óptica Geométrica
Swedish All svenska Run now Geometrisk optik
Thai All ไทย Run now ทัศนศาสตร์เชิงเรขาคณิต
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Geometrik Optik
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Geometriki optikasy
Ukrainian All українська Run now Геометрична оптика
Uzbek All Uzbek Run now Geometrik optika
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Quang hình

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7/8.1/10
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
OS X 10.9.5 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (developer/lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Interviewer: Mindy Gratny
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow