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Thin Lens Tutorial
The passage of light through simple concave and convex lenses is governed by the principles of refraction, and can be understood with the aid of a few simple rules about the geometry involved in tracing light rays through the lens. The focal length of a lens is dependent upon lens curvature radius and the refractive index. The Thin Lens equations are very straight forward but are only valid when the thickness of the lens is negligible compared to the focal length of the lens. Lenses whose thickness is not negligible are sometimes called thick lenses to emphasize that their thickness is not being neglected. This tutorial is going to discuss solely lenses with a thickness that is negligible compared to its focal length.
Skip to the interactive calculator.
There are two basic kinds of thin lenses: convex lenses and concave lenses.
Rules for Convex Lenses
There are three simple rules that govern how light passes through a thin convex lens.
1. Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis of a converging lens will refract through the lens and travel through the focal point on the opposite side of the lens.
- Click here to see an illustration of this rule

2. Any incident ray traveling through the focal point on the way to the lens will refract through the lens and travel parallel to the principal axis.
- Click here to see an illustration of this rule

3. An incident ray which passes through the center of the lens will in effect continue in the same direction that it had when it entered the lens.
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Ray Diagrams for Convex Lenses
Go to interactive calculator.
Rules for Concave Lenses
There are also three simple rules that govern how light passes through a thin concave lens.
1. Any incident ray traveling parallel to the principal axis of a diverging lens will refract through the lens and travel in line with the focal point (i.e., in a direction such that its extension will pass through the focal point).
- Click here to see an illustration of this rule

2. Any incident ray traveling towards the focal point on the way to the lens will refract through the lens and travel parallel to the principal axis.
- Click here to see an illustration of this rule

3. An incident ray which passes through the center of the lens will in effect continue in the same direction that it had when it entered the lens.
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Ray Diagrams for Concave Lenses
Go to interactive calculator.
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