Over a year now, and no-one has noticed the error where you wrote that "The magnifying glass makes things appear smaller", when, of course, it actually makes things appear LARGER by bending the light rays and making a larger image on the retina than would be made viewing the object unaided.

Since Alhazen's time, the principles of optical physics that make magnifying glasses work so well have been the foundation of great advancements in science, particularly biology and astronomy. Today, magnifying glasses can be used for simple tasks, such as making small magazine text easier to read, to complex, scientific tasks, such as studying microscopic organisms.

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For fine detail, or where we have to have high energy density on a very flat, thin surface like burning off anodization from aluminum, we can use a 1.5", 1" lens- or, this compound engraving lens is a CRAZY 10.5mm, it will produce a radically more intense focal point, 23x the energy density!

The necessary relationship is just trigonometry of beam diameter, focal distance, and orifice size and placement. When we change lenses to a different focal length, usually we still use the same nozzle orifice size, but either place the lens higher or lower in the tube or use a tube of a different length that places the nozzle orifice further or closer to the lens.

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We hope you enjoyed learning about the science behind magnifying glasses! Learn even more when you explore the following activities with a friend or family member:

Do a ramp test to find it’s focal point… You should do this when you change optics in the path to ensure it’s properly operating.

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Since we’re just looking at the beam forming a cone (triangle on 2D model), you can see how the laser’s spot widens when you get out of focus. Like warped material. A longer lens with the same beam diameter is a more acute triangle, and less affected when the cutting height varies from the perfect focus. i.e. it has a greater “depth of focus”.

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Thanks Jack I appreciate your reply… I guess what you are saying is yes, you will need to have the appropriate Laser Head to accommodate the differing lenses.

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Here are a couple things to keep in mind. The laser beam that bounces off the mirrors is pretty much a constant diameter. The purpose of the lens is to concentrate that energy into a very small dot. The purpose of the tube is to hold the lens and the nozzle. The nozzle is important because pressurized air inside the nozzle rushes out the hole and helps the beam cut and also blows smoke out of the way. So the lens is held as some focal distance from the work and the air has to make it into the cut. Farther the focal length the more difficult it is for the air to hit the cut with any volume. Also the beam might be wide at that point so the hole in the nozzle might be bigger.

If you want to be just like Sherlock Holmes, you're going to need a few things. A tweed jacket will come in handy for those damp and breezy back streets of London. You'll also want one of those cool hats he always wears. Finally, you'll need an important tool to use when you're searching for the smallest of clues: a magnifying glass.

I have a 100 watt Red Dragon RDL6040 that came with a 63mm focus lens. I also ordered a shorter focal length lens at 50mm. Red dragon say just replace the 63mm lens form the 50mm in the laser head and all will be fine. Yet on line I can see laser heads all stating the focal length. Do I need another tube of different length to change between lenses? What if I wanted a 103mm lens? Regards Mick

When light bounces off an object and travels to your eyes, those light rays travel parallel to each other. When they pass through a magnifying glass, the convex lens bends the parallel rays so that they converge and create a virtual image on your eyes' retinas.

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Notice where the lens actually is, nozzle configuration, the distance from the material and the intended purpose. The lens must have ‘room’ to get through the nozzle outlet. Long lens the focus far from the object will have a bigger beam, growing smaller as it reaches the material. There nozzle must have a ‘hole’ large enough to accommodate this.

The beam leaves the lens at about the same diameter it enters, and converges 2" down. A 2D section of that is a triangle. We don’t want that triangle to clip on the air assist cone orifice. The more clearance there is between the focal point and the cone, the larger that orifice needs to be which can make for bad airflow.

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A magnifying glass is actually the simplest form of a basic microscope. It consists of a single convex lens that magnifies an object when the glass is held up to it. Historians believe a scientist named Alhazen created the first magnifying glass in 1021.

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So its preferred to have a lens tube for every lens. However long lenses with the lens stuffed way up inside the tube is not ideal. Just my opinion. So on my long lens I mounted it at the end and skipped the nozzle and just direct the air down on the cut.

Just keep your eye open as there are options that creep up… The more you know the better… and the better decisions you make.

That virtual image on your retinas appears larger than the real object due to principles of geometry. Despite the magnifying glass, your eyes trace the light rays back in parallel lines to the virtual image. Since the virtual image is farther from your eyes than the object is, the object appears bigger!

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We're sorry to hear this, Madison! Luckily, there are more than 1,500 other Wonders to explore. We know you will find one you like better! :)

Hearts are a-flutter tomorrow in Wonderopolis. Join us as we celebrate Valentine’s Day by exploring the power of that first glance!

Hi, Zazubo! Thanks for remembering to cite your sources for your project! The following is how you would cite the Wonder of the Day. You may use Wonderopolis as the author and since we do not list the publish date, you can use the date you accessed the article for information. If that was today, then use today's date for your citation. "How Does a Magnifying Glass Make Things Appear Bigger?" Wonderopolis. Web. 4 January 2016. Always keep WONDERing! :)

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That's right, Lily! The magnifying glass makes things appear smaller, but don't actually change the size of the object. Great WONDERing! :)

Have you ever pretended to be a detective? If you're a fan of great literature, perhaps you've even pretended to be one of the greatest detectives of all time. You know…the one who lives at 221b Baker Street in London? Who are we talking about? Sherlock Holmes, of course!

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Holmes may have used his magnifying glass to search for clues to solve the many mysteries he encountered, but people all over the world use this simple tool for all sorts of tasks every day. With a magnifying glass in hand, you can make the tiniest details seem larger than life. So how do magnifying glasses make the little things larger?

If you want the ‘best dot’ lens, for engraving the compound lens is probably the best choice, if you can fit it in your system…

However, there’s a cost- for reasons that are all “crazy physics stuff”, the minimum spot size at perfect focus actually scales with the RECIPROCAL of the focal length. Going from a 2" lens to a 4" lens doubles the diameter of the focal point, reducing its energy density by a factor of 4x. Also since it’s a larger diameter, it’s a larger kerf, and can’t engrave fine detail.

However, the cost is a reduced depth of focus. These have to be at the PERFECT focal point, and must be very flat. These are terrible at cutting anything that’s not very thin. Also, high resolution engraving with a finer focal point means the line interval must also be scaled down- which scales up the runtime for a given area of work.

In addition to simple, handheld magnifying glasses, magnifying lenses play important roles as part of other devices, including binoculars, cameras, microscopes, and telescopes. Without the ability to magnify tiny objects, we wouldn't know much about tiny things like bacteria and viruses or far-away things, like stars and galaxies.

Hi, jodie! Sometimes the handle or outside of the magnifying glass could be rubbery. Thanks for sharing your comment! Always keep WONDERing! :)

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Hi, Wonder Friend! Thanks for reading the Wonder and comments so carefully! You're right, we made a mistake in that comment. Unfortunately, because it was so long ago we can't correct it, so we appreciate you clarifying! :)

Magnifying glasses make objects appear larger because their convex lenses (convex means curved outward) refract or bend light rays, so that they converge or come together. In essence, magnifying glasses trick your eyes into seeing something differently than it really is.

Hello, davontaydavis! Thanks for WONDERing with us! Magnifying Glasses are very helpful tools. What are three things you learned from this WONDER about magnifying glasses? We love when our WONDER friends share their new knowledge! :)