Geometric optics is a branch of physics that focuses on the behavior of light as it travels in straight lines. It plays a crucial role in understanding various phenomena involving light, such as reflection and refraction. This post will provide you with a step-by-step introduction to the fundamental principles of geometric optics and their applications.

One of the key principles in geometric optics is rectilinear propagation, which states that light travels in straight lines. When light encounters a surface, such as a mirror or a boundary between two different media, it may interact with the surface and undergo reflection. The incident ray is the incoming ray of light, the reflected ray is the ray that bounces off the surface, and the normal is a line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.

Understanding these principles is essential because they form the basis for analyzing and predicting the behavior of light in various optical systems. By applying the laws of reflection and refraction, we can determine the paths of light rays and understand how images are formed by mirrors and lenses. This knowledge is crucial in fields such as physics, optics, and engineering, and it has numerous practical applications in technologies like cameras, telescopes, and microscopes.