A student measures the object distance and the corresponding image distance for a…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Ray Optics and Optical Instruments · Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
Problem
A student measures the object distance so and the corresponding image distance si for a concave spherical mirror. The data are shown below.
Object distance so (cm): 30 35 40 45 50
Image distance si (cm): 60 46.7 40 36 33.3
The student wishes to analyze the data graphically to determine the mirror’s focal length.
(a) Identify the pair of quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes so that the data form a straight line. Explain briefly why this choice leads to a linear relationship.
(b) Using the numerical data, calculate the slope and vertical intercept of the best-fit straight line (show your work; ignore experimental uncertainty).
(c) From the intercept obtained in part (b), determine the focal length of the mirror, including its sign.
(d) Using your result from part (c), compute the radius of curvature of the mirror.