Question

You can argue that a flat piece of glass, such as in a window, is like a lens with an infinite focal length. If so, where does it form an image? That is, how are (di) and (do) related?

a. di=do
b. dic. Both a and b
d. None of the above

Answer 1

A flat piece of glass, such as a window, is like a lens with an infinite focal length, meaning that it does not form a real image. As light rays pass through without convergence or divergence, the relationship between image distance and object distance is di = do, with the image perceived exactly where the objects are.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering a flat piece of glass like a window, it can indeed be thought of as a lens with an infinite focal length. In the context of image formation by lenses, the relation between the image distance (di) and the object distance (do) for a lens with infinite focal length is such that it does not form a real image. The rays after passing through the glass continue in the same direction without actually converging or diverging.

For lenses and mirrors, the relationship between object distance (do), image distance (di), and focal length (f) is given by the lens/mirror equation: 1/f = 1/do + 1/di. In this case where the focal length is infinite (f → ∞), this equation simplifies to di = do, implying that the object distance and the image distance are equal.

However, because the glass does not cause the light rays to converge or diverge, the image formed is neither real nor can the location be pinned down in the same manner as a conventional lens. Instead, the 'images' perceived are exactly where the objects are, appearing as if you're looking through an open space rather than through glass.