It is well known that rays of light originating at one of the foci of an elliptical mirror converge at the other focus after reflecting off the surface.1 Usually this is proven using the equation of the ellipse and geometrical theorems2 or by means of calculus.3 In this paper we show that the proof may be done very easily by considering a simple mechanical system having the same geometry and using conservation energy. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
Documento: | Artículo |
Título: | Optical property of the ellipse derived from energy conservation |
Autor: | Sztrajman, J.; Rela, A. |
Filiación: | Departamento de Fisicomatemática (5), Ciclo Básico Común, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón III, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina |
Palabras clave: | 01.50Fa; 42.10D; 46.30M |
Año: | 2003 |
Volumen: | 41 |
Número: | 4 |
Página de inicio: | 208 |
Página de fin: | 209 |
DOI: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.1564500 |
Título revista: | Physics Teacher |
Título revista abreviado: | Phys. Teach. |
ISSN: | 0031921X |
Registro: | https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_0031921X_v41_n4_p208_Sztrajman |