Experimental Determination of the Transverse Width and Position of the Virtual Images Produced by Thin Lenses and a Plane Mirror with Smartphone Photography.

This article explores the use of smartphone cameras in conducting physics experiments to determine the transverse size and position of virtual images formed by lenses and a plane mirror. The authors explain that virtual images can be challenging for students to understand as they cannot be projected onto a screen. By taking photographs of the virtual images and using readily available software, the transverse width of the image on the camera sensor can be determined. The article provides theoretical equations and experimental procedures for determining the width and position of virtual images produced by lenses and a plane mirror. The authors present experimental results and data analysis for the virtual image width and position using Apple iPhone cameras, including the focal lengths of the camera lenses and pixel sizes. The measurements and calculations are done using equations and formulas, and the results show the virtual image distances and focal lengths for both lenses, with comparisons made to standard methods. The article also discusses the concept of magnification and includes tables and graphs to illustrate the data. Overall, the article emphasizes the simplicity and importance of using smartphone photography in physics experiments and highlights the accuracy and precision that can be achieved with this method. The authors, Sanjoy Kumar Pal, Soumen Sarkar, and Surajit Chakrabarti, have expertise in physics education and research. [Extracted from the article]