This simulation teaches students about light reflection and refraction using concave and convex mirrors and lenses. After using the simulation, students will be able to describe the laws of reflection and refraction and demonstrate image formation with different mirrors and lenses. The simulation is intended for high school or college students and requires basic geometry and trigonometry knowledge, but no prior optics experience. It allows users to adjust light source properties and mirror/lens parameters and displays the type, location, and size of the resulting real or virtual image.

4. This is a simulation that teaches learners
about a particular topic (Alessi, 1988).
More specifically, this is a simulation to
teach basic principles of light reflection
and refraction in physics (optics).

5. After completion of this simulation the
students will:
› Describe the Laws of Reflection using
concave and convex mirrors
› Demonstrate image formation with concave
mirrors and convex mirrors
› Describe the Laws of Refraction using
concave and convex lenses
› Demonstrate image formation using
concave and convex lenses

6. › High school and/or College Students
› Requirements:
 Basic knowledge of Geometry and
Trigonometry.
› No prior knowledge on optics reflection and
refraction is assumed.

7. › Source of Light (Monochromatic and Fixed)
› Type of Mirror or Lens (Concave or Convex)
› Focal Length of Mirror or Lens
› Distance between the Object and Mirror or
Lens
› Height of the Object
› Angle of the Mirror or Lens to the Horizontal
Axis
› Vertical Position of the Mirror or Lens
(Horizontal position is fixed)

8. › Type of Image (Real or Virtual)
› Distance between the Image and the
Center of the Mirror or Lens on the Horizontal
Axis
› Height of the Image

9. › Runs a Continuous-State and Deterministic
Model
› Values are on a Continuum of Real or
Complex values
› Inputs of the model will always lead to the
same output (Mielke, 2009).

10. Because the concept of upright and
inverted image is important for
understanding of image formation we
decided to add objects that clearly
display the change in vertical
orientations (i.e. butterfly, arrow, bugs).