Transverse magnification compares signed image height with object height.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §25.7 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Transverse magnification compares signed image height with object height. A negative value means an inverted image; its magnitude describes the size ratio.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Magnification | ||
| Length (image distance) | ||
| Length (object distance) |
Determine whether a paraxial image is inverted.
Compare transverse image and object heights.
A real object is 30 m from an ideal imaging element and its real image is 15 m away. Find signed transverse magnification.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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