Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Educators · Ray Optics / Lenses

Ray Optics / Lenses for a zip line

Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a zip line live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Ray Optics / Lens StudioLive

thin-lens equation · ray tracing

Controls

Presets

Trace principal rays through a thin lens to locate the image. Move the object inside the focal point to flip from a real to a virtual image.

Focal length

Object distance

Object height

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Lensconverging

Focal length120px

Magnification-1.00×

Equation1/v − 1/u = 1/f

Governing equation

\frac{1}{v} - \frac{1}{u} = \frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{120}

Reading this result: The object sits near 2f, so the image is real, inverted and roughly the same size (1:1).

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Also for:Students Researchers Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders General version →

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for educators?: Yes — this version of "Ray Optics / Lenses for a zip line" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.