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A lens is made up of 3 different transparent media as shown in the figure. A point object O is placed on its axis beyond 2f. How many real images will be obtained on the other side?

Asked in NEET 2023 Manipur · Lens maker's formula and power

Figure: Lens maker's formula and power
Answer: (4) 3

Step-by-step solution

Given: a converging lens whose three layers are three different transparent media, and a point object O on the axis beyond 2f.

Idea: refraction at a surface depends on the refractive index, so each layer acts as a separate thin lens that happens to share the same pair of surfaces.

1/f=(μ-1)(1/(R₁)-1/(R₂)) gives a different f for each of the three values of μ.

For every one of those focal lengths the object lies beyond 2f, so every layer forms a real image, and the three images sit at three different points on the axis.

So 3 real images are obtained.

Why the other options are wrong

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