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For a thin convex lens, when the height of the object is double that of its image, its object distance is equal to ______. (the focal length of the lens is f)

Asked in GSEB Board July 2017 · Lens formula and magnification

Answer: (3) 3f

Step-by-step solution

Given: a thin convex lens whose image is half the height of the object, so |m|=1/2.

Idea: a convex lens makes a diminished image only when it is real and inverted, so m=v/u=-1/2. Writing the object distance as u=-d gives v=+d/2.

Put these into the lens formula 1/v-1/u=1/f:

2/d+1/d=1/f, that is 3/d=1/f.

So the object distance is d=3f.

That is sensible: 3f lies beyond 2f, which is exactly the region where a convex lens forms a real, inverted, diminished image.

Why the other options are wrong

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