Unit 7 : Light Rays & Waves

Notes
Part 7.01 & 7.02
Introduction
 Light is a form of energy due to which we are able to see the objects which emits light for
example objects like sun, lamp, candle emits light of their own and thus they are known
as luminous objects.

 There are objects like tables, chairs etc. which are not luminous objects and still we are able to
see them and this happens because they reflects lights which falls on them from a luminous
object like sun, lamp etc. and when this reflected light reaches our eyes we are able to see such
non luminous objects.

 When light falls on the surface of an object it can either be,

1. Absorbed:- If an object absorbs all the light falling on it , then it will appear perfectly black
for example a blackboard
2. Transmitted: - An object is said to transmit light if it allows light to pass through itself and
such objects are transparent.
3. Reflected:- If an object sends back light rays falling on its surface then it is said to have
reflected the light.
Note :
1. Black colour is the perfect absorber of light and heat in fact all dark colours are good absorbers
but black colour is the best absorber. You will study about it in your later grades as Black
Body Radiation.
2. Silver colour is the best reflector.

Reflection of Light
 The process of sending back light rays which falls on the surface of an object is called
REFLECTION of light.

 Silver metal is one of the best reflectors of light.

 Mirrors we use on our dressing tables in our home are plane mirrors.

 A ray of light is the straight line along which the light travelled and a bundle of light rays is
called a beam of light.

 Laws of Reflection of light (Very Important)

1. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, and

2. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal to the mirror at the point of incidence all
lie in the same plane.
 These laws of reflection are applicable to all types of reflecting surfaces including spherical
surfaces.

 Types of reflection

1. Regular reflection:
 When for all light rays falling on the surface of a reflector (like a mirror) the angle of reflection
i.e. ‘i’ is equal to angle of reflection i.e. ‘r’ then this type of reflection is called regular reflection.

2. Irregular reflection:
When for all light rays falling on the surface of a reflector (like a floor of room or a smooth piece
of paper) the angle of reflection i.e. ‘i’ is not always equal to angle of reflection i.e. ‘r’ then this
type of reflection is called ‘Irregular reflection’.
This type of reflection is also called as ‘Diffused Reflection’.

Features/Properties of light
 Light rays basically consist of electromagnetic waves which do not require any material
medium (like solid, liquid or gas) for their propagation.

 Light always travel in straight lines this property of light is also called as ‘Rectilinear
Propagation of light’.

 Light transfers energy which is equivalent to the energy possessed by the light.
Numerically, E=hxf
Where, ‘E’ is the energy of light ray or light radiation incident on a surface.
‘h’ is called the ‘Plank’s Constant’ &
‘f’ is the frequency of the light radiations.

 The wavelength of visible light waves is very small and is of the order of 4×10-7 m to 8×10-7 m.

 Light is the fastest i.e. nothing can travel faster than the light in vacuum. Speed of light in
vacuum is 3.0 x 108 m/s.

 Speed of light waves depends on the medium through which they pass as speed of light in air is
slightly less than the speed of light in vacuum 8×108 m/s same way speed of light in water and
glass is much less than that in air.

 Light is a transverse wave i.e. it does not require any medium for its propagation.

Some Important terms

1. Photons : These are very tiny particles often called as energy particles. These are
considered the basic unit of energy contained by light radiations in them.

2. Diffraction : This is a property or a process of bending of light rays along the edges of
objects on which light rays are made incident.
It may also be called as ‘Spreading out of light rays when they pass through a
narrow gap comparable to the wavelength of the light ray.
Wider the gap the less is the diffraction produced.

3. Monochromatic : It is a Greek word comprising two words ‘Mono’ means single or one and
‘Chroma’ which means colour.
It is used to represent light rays of a single wavelength and a specific
colour.

4. LASER : LASER is short form of ‘Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission of

Radiation’.
 A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical
amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation.

Objects
Any body which is placed in front of a Mirror or any other reflecting surface may be regarded as
an Object.
An object is always placed in a vertically erect or upright position in front of the Mirror.
These objects can be living as well as non living.

Real and Virtual images

 An image is formed when the light rays coming from an object meet at a point after reflection
from a mirror (or refraction from lens).
 The images are of two types

1. Real Images:- Real images are formed when rays of light that comes from an object (or source)
meets at a point after reflection from a mirror (or refraction from a lens). Real images can be
formed on a screen and can be seen with the eyes.

2. Virtual images:- Virtual image is an image in which the outgoing rays from an object do not
meet at a point. It will appear to meet at a point in or behind the optical device (i.e., a mirror) but
they do not actually meet after reflection from a mirror (or refraction from a lens). A plane mirror
always forms virtual images.
Characteristics of images formed by plane mirrors:-
(a) Images formed by mirrors are always virtual and erect.
(b) Size of image is always equal to the size of the object and the image is laterally inverted.
(c) The images formed by the plane mirror are as far behind the mirror as the object in front of
the mirror.

 Lateral inversion:- If an object is placed in front of the mirror, then the right side of the object
appears to be the left side and left side of the object appears to be the right side of this image.
This change of sides of an object and its mirror image is called lateral inversion.
e.g.
1. You will always see the word AMBULANCE written laterally inverted on the vehicles which
are supposed to the ambulances.
2. You will see always that your right side appears at the left side of your image in a mirror.

Some Important terms

1. Incident ray (IR) : The light rays which falls on the surface of any reflector is called incident
ray.
2. Reflected ray (RR) : The light rays which is deflected by the reflector in another direction.
3. Point of incidence (P) : The point on the reflector at which incident ray falls.
4. Normal (N) : An imaginary ray assumed to be perpendicular to the surface of reflector at P.
5. Angle of incidence (i) : The angle b/w IR and N.
6. Angle of reflection (r) : The angle b/w N and RR.

Note : For your reference you can see the diagram on page numbers 144 and 146 of your text books.