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Unit 5 · Geometric Optics Flashcards Cheat Sheet Essentials Visual Review MC Practice FRQ Practice

AP Physics 2 Unit 5 Visual Review

A topic-by-topic visual walkthrough of Unit 5: Geometric Optics — reflection, mirrors, refraction and Snell's law, and images formed by lenses.

← Back to Unit 5 hub
TOPIC 5.1 Reflection mirror surface normal θᵢ θᵣ Law of Reflection θᵢ = θᵣ Angles are measured from the NORMAL (perpendicular to the surface), not the surface itself. Incident ray, reflected ray & normal are coplanar. Smooth vs. rough Smooth = specular (a mirror image); rough = diffuse (scattered). The law holds for each individual ray. θᵢ = θᵣ, measured from the normal to the surface. The Review Hub · AP Physics 2 · Unit 5 TOPIC 5.2 Images Formed by Mirrors Mirror & magnification equations 1/f = 1/dₒ + 1/dᵢ M = −dᵢ/dₒ = hᵢ/hₒ f = R/2. Focal length f > 0 for concave, f < 0 for convex. dᵢ > 0 real (in front); dᵢ < 0 virtual (behind). F object concave mirror focuses parallel rays at F Concave can magnify; convex always shrinks Concave: real & inverted if object beyond F; virtual & upright if inside F. Convex: always virtual, upright, smaller. 1/f = 1/dₒ + 1/dᵢ, M = −dᵢ/dₒ; sign of dᵢ tells real vs. virtual. The Review Hub · AP Physics 2 · Unit 5 TOPIC 5.3 Refraction air (n₁ = 1.0) glass (n₂ = 1.5) θ₁ θ₂ ray bends TOWARD normal entering denser glass Snell's Law n₁ sin θ₁ = n₂ sin θ₂ Index of refraction n = c/v ≥ 1. Into a denser medium (higher n): light slows & bends TOWARD the normal. Frequency stays the same; wavelength changes. Total internal reflection Beyond the critical angle sin θc = n₂/n₁, light fully reflects (fiber optics). n₁ sin θ₁ = n₂ sin θ₂; into denser medium light slows & bends toward normal. The Review Hub · AP Physics 2 · Unit 5 TOPIC 5.4 Images Formed by Lenses Same thin-lens equation 1/f = 1/dₒ + 1/dᵢ M = −dᵢ/dₒ Converging (convex) lens: f > 0. Diverging (concave) lens: f < 0. |M| > 1 enlarged, |M| < 1 reduced; M < 0 inverted. F F converging lens bends rays to a focus Ray tracing finds the image Converging lens, object beyond F → real, inverted image. Object inside F → virtual, upright (magnifier). Diverging → always virtual. Same 1/f = 1/dₒ + 1/dᵢ; converging lens f > 0, diverging f < 0. The Review Hub · AP Physics 2 · Unit 5
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How to use the visual review

Spend 30 seconds per slide before clicking next. Look at the diagram, then ask yourself: "Could I draw this from memory and explain it?"

Use the fullscreen button () on desktop for the best experience. Use arrow keys to navigate. Tap "Show all slides" to jump around.

This is great for review the night before the exam — fast, visual, and covers everything you need to remember about Unit 5's geometric optics.