\[M=\frac{h_i}{h_o}=-\frac{d_i}{d_o}\]
Variables
Mlens magnification
hiimage height (m)
hoobject height (m)
diimage distance (m)
doobject distance (m)
Description
What is this formula?
This formula calculates the magnification produced by a lens. Magnification describes how much larger or smaller an image appears compared to the original object and whether the image is upright or inverted.
When to use it
Use this formula when analyzing image size in lenses, microscopes, cameras, telescopes, and optical systems.
Example
Given:
ho=2 cm
di=15 cm
do=10 cm
Formula:
M=-di/do
Substitution:
M=-(15)/(10)
Result:
M=-1.5
Image height:
hi=(-1.5)(2 cm)
hi=-3 cm
The negative sign indicates an inverted image.
Applications
- Camera design
- Microscopes
- Telescopes
- Optical systems
- Image analysis