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The focal length of a convex lens made of glass of refractive index (1.5) is 20 cm. What will be its new focal length when placed in a medium of refractive index 1.25? Is focal length

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Question

The focal length of a convex lens made of glass of refractive index (1.5) is 20 cm.

What will be its new focal length when placed in a medium of refractive index 1.25?

Is focal length positive or negative? What does it signify?

Answer in Brief
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Solution

Given aμg = 1.5

Focal length of the given convex lens when it is placed in air is f = + 20 cm

Refractive index of the given medium with respect to air is aμm = 1.25 

New focal length of the given convex lens when placed in a medium is f' 

`1/"f" = ("a"_(mu"g") - 1)[(1/"R"_1) + (1/"R"_2)]`  .....(A)

`1/"f'" = ("m"_(mu"g") - 1)[(1/"R"_1) + (1/"R"_2)]` .....(B)

Dividing (A) by (B), we get

`"f'"/"f" = (("a"_(mu"g") - 1))/(("m"_(mu"g") - 1)) = ((1.5 - 1))/((1.2 - 1)) = 0.5/0.2 = 5/2 = 2.5`

f' = 2.5f = (2.5 × 20) cm = +50 cm as mµg = `mu_"g"/mu_"m" = 1.5/1.25 = 1.2`

New focal length is positive.

The significance of the positive sign of the focal length is that the given convex lens is still converging in the given medium.

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