Name: Zhelin Li, Boheng Yang, Puning Zhu, Ziwen Fang

Lab report #2: Measuring Focal Length Of Converging Lenses

I. Introduction
In this lab, we used our knowledge to approach the focal length of converging
lenses. There were 2 parts in the lab. In the first part, we used No.4 lens to
determine its focal length.We found average f​no.4​ = (25.30 ± 0.20) cm. In the second
part, we used the focal length of No.4 lens found in part 1 to find the focal length of

​ (48.96 ± 2.50) ​cm.

No.2 lens. We found average f​no.2 =

II. Procedure
Part 1:
We set up the experiment according to the diagram depicted below. We first
let the left edge of table be 0cm position. We placed the object 20.0 cm behind the
left edge of the table, i.e.O​p​ = 20.0 cm and fixed the object position for part 1 of the
lab. We placed the lens at 54.0 cm behind the left edge of the table and adjusted the
screen position along the line connecting the lens and the object until a clear image
formed. We then repeated the same procedure by varying the lens position until we
obtained 10 sets of data.

Part 2:
We still let the right edge of the table be 0cm position. We placed the object
20.0cm behind the left edge of the table,i.e.O​p​ = 20.0 cm and lens #4 34 cm apart
from the object, i.e. L2​p =
​ 54.0 cm. We then shifted the screen along the line

connecting the object and lens #4 until a clear image was formed on it. Next, we
placed another lens, lens #2 15 cm​ ​left with respect to lens #4, i.e. L1​p​ = 39.0 cm.
We adjusted the screen position again until a clear image was formed. We recorded
the position as I​p​ = 108.5 cm. We changed L1​p​ =45.0cm and L2​p​ = 70.0 cm and
obtained I​p​ = 108.5 cm.

1
III. Derivation
Part 1:

2
Part 2:

IV. Data
Part 1:
O​p​ = 20.0 cm, position uncertainty = ±0.1cm

L​p​ (cm) I​p​ (cm) d​o​ (cm) d​i​ (cm) check m f​no.4​ (cm)
54.0 149.0 34.0 95.0 -2.790 25.04
60.0 127.2 40.0 67.2 -1.680 25.07
63.0 124.6 43.0 61.6 -1.430 25.32
70.0 120.6 50.0 50.6 -1.010 25.15
75.0 121.6 55.0 46.6 -0.850 25.23
80.0 124.0 60.0 44.0 -0.730 25.38
85.0 126.3 65.0 41.3 -0.640 25.25
90.0 130.5 70.0 40.5 -0.580 25.66
100.0 137.0 80.0 37.0 -0.460 25.30
average f​no.4 25.30 ± 0.20

3
Part 2:
1st Measured Data for the Focal length of Lens No. 2

O​p​ (cm) L1​p​ (cm) L2​p​ (cm) I​p​ (cm)

20.0 39.0 54.0 108.5

1st set of Calculations for the Focal length of Lens No. 2

d​o1​ (cm) d​i2​ (cm) d​o2​ (cm) d​i1​ (cm) f​no.2​ (cm)
19.0 54.5 47.15 -32.15 46.45

2nd Measured Data for the Focal length of Lens No. 2

O​p​ (cm) L1​p​ (cm) L2​p​ (cm) I​p​ (cm)
20.0 45.0 70.0 108.5

2nd set of Calculations for the Focal length of Lens No. 2

d​o1​ (cm) d​i2​ (cm) d​o2​ (cm) d​i1​ (cm) f​no.2​ (cm)
25.0 38.5 73.62 -48.62 51.46

Focal length of Lens # 2 = (48.96 ± 2.50) cm

V. Conclusion
In Part 1, according to the measured data, the focal length of Lens #4, <f#4>
= (25.30 ± 0.20) cm. In Part 2, the focal length of Lens #2 was calculated based on
the measured data and also the focal length of Lens No.2 from Part 1. The
calculated focal length of Lens No.2 was <f#2> = (48.96 ± 2.50) cm. The average
focal length of lens #4 calculated was very precise as %uncertainty = 0.20 / 25.30 *
100% = 0.79%. However, calculated focal length of lens #2 was not precise,
%uncertainty = 2.50 / 48.96 * 100% = 5.11%, because it was hard to adjust screen
position to obtain a well defined image when there were 2 lens and also it was
difficult to make sure the object, 2 lens and screen were placed along the same line.