What is the formula for calculating magnification in optics?

The formula for calculating magnification in optics is derived from the relationship between the dimensions of the image and the object. Magnification is defined as the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the object. This relationship is crucial in understanding how larger or smaller the image appears compared to the actual object.

When using the height of the image divided by the height of the object, you get a clear indication of how much larger or smaller the image is compared to the physical size of the object. For example, if the height of the image is twice that of the object, the magnification would be 2, indicating that the image appears twice as large.

This method provides a direct measure of the enlargement or reduction in size, which is essential in various applications of optics, such as in microscopes, telescopes, and photography.

Thus, the correct answer effectively captures the concept of magnification by drawing a comparison between the dimensions of the image and the object, which is a fundamental aspect of optical physics.