INTENDED LEARNING STEPPING STONES

OUTCOMES
Demonstrate rectilinear form of energy. It enables us to see
Light is a things
propagation of light around us. Although light itself is invisible,. it
makes things visible to us. Objects that give out
.Explain the reflection of
of light. Sources of lighe Can
light light are called sources

be natural or artificial. Name three examples each

Explain curved mirrorsS of natural and artificial sources of light.
convex mirror and concavve
mirror Natural Artificial
Identify lenses and explain 1. 1
image formation by lenses
Demonstrate the dispersion 2 2
of light through prism and 3. 3.
formation of spectrum

RECTILINEAR PROPAGATION OF LIGHT

Most of us have seen the beam of light coming from the search light of airport
tower or from the lighthouse n e a r the sea. We all watch films in a theatre. Have
you ever projector and falling on
observed the beam of light coming from the
the big screen? In all the casesthe beam of light travels in a straight-line patb
and not curved or zigzag. These observations show that the light always travels
in a straight line. It is known as rectilinear propagation of lightDue to
this property, shadows are formed when light faces any obstruction. In nature,
formation of eclipses are also based on this principle, Let us perform an activity
to confirm it.

Chapter-15> Light and Associated Phenomena

ACTIVITY1
viblehollow plastic tube and a source
keaT
i g h ts u c h a
as a candle or a light bulb.

the tube straight and point one

olfi g h t

dhold
Now,
hold

w,
to the source of light. See it from the
o p e n

end open tube. What do you see?

of the
other
tube and try tolook through
bend the
Now,

What do
you see this time?
hole.

the
n the tube is
held straight then the source
can be seen. However, when we bend in a
light travels
of bend
is ber the source of light cannot be seen. This shows that the light
the
hube
tube is
straight line.

REFLECTION OF LIGHT
ball and changes
a bowler
bowls to the batsman, the batsman hits the
Vhen when light falls on an object, it changes
its direction
Similarly,
its direction.
as
back of from the surface is known
light
and bounces back. This bouncing from where light is reflected, reflection
of light, Based on the surface
reflection reflection and irregular reflection
two types-regular
can be classified into

Regular or Specular Reflection

that taks place from a
It is a reflection
the parallel
smooth and shiny surface) All
on this surface
is
beam of light falling
other direction. The
reflected back in one
even after
remain parallel
rays of light
reflection is called
reflection. Such type of
regular reflection. A Fig.15.1 Regularfetlection
metals and still
Plane mirrors, polished
the
water have smooth surfaces. So, causes strong glare
to our

surfaces is regular reflection. It when

reflection from their we observe a glare
sometimes damage our eyes
also. That is why
eyesand of plane mirrors, polished
sunlight or light from a bulb shines on the surface
metals or still water.

ENUNCIATION
Reflection: ri-flek-shuhn
2lb
Unit V> Natural Phenomena 2
 Irregular or Diffused Reflection
Jt is a reflection that takes place througha
rough and dull surface. The(rays of light do
not remain parallel after reflection from the
surface. They scatter in different directions
(Such type of reflection in which the parallel
rays of incident light do not remain parallel
after reflection is called irregular or
diffused reflection, The surfacés of old
wavy water, wall andtree
aree
mirrors, Irreguaf retction
Fig. 15.2
rough or uneven. So, the reflection from
cuts
their surfaces is irregular reflection.lt
otf the glare and hence does not damage our eyes

Plane Mirror 7
Im vms thin sheet of glass,
surface. It is made of a
A plane
mirror has a flat reflectig protected with a coating
side. The silver coverng is surface and
ne glass i s silvered because it has a shiny
o n o n e

is used to see our

red lead oxide. Generally,
mercury
of we are able
in front of the mirror,
w e stand w e a r e and also
1s a good reflector. When behind a mirror is of the s a m e size a s i n a mirror
image. The image formed formed
mirror. However, the image
Same distance from the and vice versa.Letter
atthe inverted-leftside s e e m s to be on the
right
is laterally
from right to letb as
in a mirror is reversed
reading inversion of a n image
well. The property of lateral
in a plane mirror is applied
in writing the word
patients to
AMBUILANCE o n vehiçles that carry
that the driver in the
hospitals "This is donelso ambulance c a n see the
other vehicles ahead of the
in the r e a r view mirror
word AMBULANCE clearly
ambulance immediately) It is
and give way to the
on a s c r e e n . Such
not possible to take this image
obtained on a screen is A Fig. 15.3 Image formed by a
an image which cannot be
image) An imageformed by plane
virtual
a plane mirror
called a

mirror shows the following characteristics:

left.
I t is upright or erect, but appears reversed right
to

It is always virtual.
It is of the same size as the size of the object.
The image formed by the mirror is at the same distance behind the mirror as

the object is in front of it.

ENUNCIATION
Lateral: lat-er-uhl
216 Chapter-15> Light and Associated Phenomena
 l to wat
and wear watch
able.tos a
movie. the
h es c r e e n

het h a t be
can

ainetd
obtaine on
on a the ligh Iroo the
inage
actual
rsectionof
y a c t u a ln t e r s p .

n of
vity to orays sereen
SCreen
are
i
is mages.
called
real aa
on
.on the
sereen.
screen. projector falls
observe the image and it realis image Syuch
s e r f o r m a na c t i ,

perto real Such

L image type of
behaviour of image inverted, (The
(The nage formned

ACTIVITY 2
alwayinverteimag
a
d
imaget us
formed by a pfane irror.
pla roT
Standin front ofaa pla
plane mirror with
mirror. What do candle in your
imageformed on a mirro a

also raise its

image hand. Carefully observe the
right hand up? you see? Next, raise
ove forward
raise your , observe tne
NoW hen towards right hand up. Does the
the mirror.
urface, count the number If you
surface.
How many steps does of steps taken bytake three stepss tot reach the mirror's
the
image move? the image to reach nearar the mirror's
Wewill now see an. example based on the
mple: Suraj is observing his images formed by plane mirror.
a

the mirror and is image is 6 m. image in a plane mirror.

rror. The distance
will be the dista
distance
ance between Ifhe
Surai ondmoves 24mmtowards distancethen
between
betwee
will between Suraj and his towards the mirror,
the mirror, then
what

Salution: Initially, the image?

distance between the
mirror and his image is 6 m.
The distance of suraj from the
plane mirror is equal to the distance of his image
from thelplane mirror. If Suraj
moves 2 m towards the
then, the distance of Suraj
mirror,
from the mirror is =6-2=4 m
Hence, the image of Suraj will be formed at the same
therefore the distance of his image from the mirror is distance
4 m.
behind the mirror,

Distance between Suraj and his image Distance of =

Distance of image from the mirror Suraj from the mirror +

=4 mt 4 m =8 m

Therefore, the distance between Suraj and his image is 8 m.

Let us know about some important terms related to reflection.

Reflecting surface: The side of themirror that relects light and forms images
1s called the reflecting surface. The other side of the mirror is called the non-

reflecting surface.

nit V> Natural Phenomena

2
 Incident ray: The ray of light that falls Angle of Plane mirror
reflection Point of
on the surface of the reflecting material incidence
or mirror is the incident ray. Reflected ray
R
Reflected ray: The ray of light that
is sent back from the surface of the
reflecting surface is the reflected ray.
Normal
N
Point of incidence: The point at which
the light ray strikes the reflecting surface
is the point of incidence.
Normal: The perpendicular line drawn Incident ray
Angle of
from the point of incidence on the incidence

reflecting surface is the normal.

15.4 Image fopmedby
a plane mirror
Angle of incidence: The angle formed
A
Fig.
between the incident ray and the normal.
1sthe angle of incidence. It is denoted by Zi.
.

the reflected ray QR and normal

Angle of reflection: The angle formed between
QNis the angle of reflection. It is denoted by Zr.
Laws of Reflection
There are two laws of reflection:
the normal at the point of incidence,
The incident ray, the reflected rayand
alllie on the same plane.
The angle of incidence is always egual to the angle of reflection, that is,

RUN THROUGH
Light always travels in a straight line and this is termed as rectilinear propagation
of light.
When a beam of light falls on a smooth and shiny surface, it is reflected.
.Reflection that takes place from a regular and a smooth surface is known as regular
reflection.
.Reflection that takes place from a rough and a dull surface is known as irregular or
diffused reflection.
A plane mirror forms same-sized and laterally inverted image.

218 Chapter-15> Light and Associated Phenomena

 TRAK UR PROGRESSs
blanks.
in t h e
Fill
1 Pa. Rection from a smooth surface is called
reflection.
Light always
travels in a
b.
Image formed in a plane mirror is
inverted.
1s the
d. perpendicular line drawn at the point of incidence
Irregular retlection occurs from a surface.

DHERICAL OR CURVED MIRRORs

SPHERIC

mirrors are not the only mirrors that produce images. We can find many
ystal balls and
Plane
plabiects with curved surfaces such as glass bowls, spoons,
shiny
that the curved
p
hed curved glasses which also produce images. This
o l i s h e d
means

imagee
hed surface act likecurved mirrors. Have you ever tried to see your
part of a
polisB

uch curved surfaces? Since(a curved surfaçe appears like a _mallspherical

in such c u r v e d

sphere, they a r e also called spherical mirror9Images produced) by

nere, they side of
mirrors
magnified or diminished. Depending o n the reflecting and
areleith

mirror
curved surtace, spherical mirrors can be of two typ s-convex
the curved
the
concavem i r r o r .

surface outwards is called a convex mirro)

A mirror whose reflecting
curves

surface curves inwards is called a concave mirror

Amirror whose reflecting mirror, while its
outer surface of a spoon acts like a convex

For example, that the

inner surface acts
like a concave mirror.
Convex mirror

Concave Mirror
Principal axis

Principal axis Pole

Pole entre of curvature
Centre of curvature

Radius of curvature
Radius of curvature
mirrors
A
Fig. 15.5 Types of curved

Unit V> Natural Phenomena 2 1 9

 us to
it easiertor
which will make
terms
NOW, let us define some i m p o r t a n t

understand how images are formed.

the mirror.
Pole: It is the geometrical centre of
mirror 1s
1s a
a part.
par+
of which the
the sphere
Centre of curvature: It is the centre of and the curvature

through the
centre ot
passing
Pal axis: lt is the line M
pole.
Radius of c u r v a t u r e : It is the radius of sphere Parallel rays

of which the mirror forms.a part.

Principal focus: It is point,at whichallthe
a

to diverge after retlecting

rays meetor appear mirrors.
Principal axis

from the curvedsurface of the spherical F

rays of
The concavemirror reflects
the parallel
after reflection, all the
hghtin such a waythat, Al
meet at one point called focuS.
rays light
of this point. The
at M
parallel rays oflight
converge
is in front of mirror.
focusof a concave mirror Focal length
mirror is real þecause
Thefocus of c o n c a v e Since, a A Fig. 15.6 A concayfror
light rays actually passes through /t.
mirror converges a
beam of parallel rays,
concave known as converging
mirror
concave mirror is also
therefore, a Focal length
reflected
The convex mirror reflects
way that,
raysof light in such awill
afterreflection, they spread
out. We can say that, therays of
light arediverging. The parallelL Parallel rays Axis
rays of light appear diverge the
to from oflight Focus

a point which is present behind

focus.
mirror. This point is called
The focus of a convex mirroris Convex
do mirror
virtual because light rays noL a
actually passes through it. Since Fig. 15.7 A conyexffor
convex mirror diverges a parallel
beam of light rays, therefore, a convex mirror is known as a diverging mirror.

ENUNCIATION
220 Chapter-15> Light and Associated Phenomena Converge: kuhn-vurj
ACTIVITY3

Aim
To
study mage formation in
a
Aim:

Materials
concave mirror
uired: A concave
ake
mirror, candle
Procededure: a concave mirror and
and a white
irror. Place a white
of the mirro
mount it on a screen
object). Adjus
f r o n t

ust screen on
the white stand.
the other Placece aa lighted candle in
as
t h ec

bion.
reflection. screen
Now observe the in such a way side of the
candle (the candie
candie ace
the light of the candle
it
after

themirroOr type of image that acts

formed by candle tals
K e a sO n

bservations: The
i '

The following observations are changing posl

the position of
1(Whenthe
the. candle is kept very close to noted:
ofthcandle on the mirrof. This the mirror, we see an
S c r e e n . image is virtual since we enlarged, erect image
When the candndle is moved cannot obtain
in it on the
2Cor anda magnified andaway from the mirror, the
mirror and a
inverted image forms on image disapi
tarts diminishing in size
imagestarts
appears from the
the
nens till
happens till we reach as the
candle is moved adjusted sCree
screer The
a
point where the size of the away from the mirror. This
away
of the candle.
image becomes equalmiro
becomes equal to
to the size
u

T6 the candle is moved further

size and is real and inverted.
away from the mirror, the image becomes
smaler
Conclusion: In a concav mirror, a virtual image is formed if
near to the mirroy and a the object is placed very
real image is formed if the distance between the mirror and
the object is beyond the focus)

Uses of Curved Mirrors

Spherical or curved mirrors have various applications in our daily life.

Concave mirrors
Concave mirrors are used by dentists to see the magnified image of teeth.
Concave mirrors are sometimes used for shaving and to put make-up.
Concave mirrors are also used as magnifiers in movie projectors.
I n the headlights of cars, concave mirrors are used as reflectors which make
the reflected light more tocused and brighter.
Concave mirrors are also used as reflectors in flashlights, torches and
searchlights.

Unit V> Natural Phenomena 221

 Convex mirrors
Convex mirrors are used as rear-view mirrors and side mir ble.
cles for
esfop
seemg as much of the road and approaching vehicles as pos010
diverge the
Convex mirrors are used as reflectors lights which
in street
J around lt.
area around it.
eected hght in all directions and illuminate a large
mirrors in stores and malls
OvEX mirrors are used Safety and vigilance
as
stations to
Convex mirrors are used in modern railway
stations or metro have
a full view of trains.
convex mirror
mirror and
concave
formed by plane mirror,
ANature of images
Concave Mirror Convex Mirror
p e of Image Plane Mirror
Formed
when the object
is Always virtual
Real except
Real or virtual Always virtual between focus and pole
in

real and upright Always upright

Inverted when
Upright or Always upright when virtual
inverted
Diminished
Diminished for certain
Size of image Image formed is for
of the same size positions and enlarged
others
as the object
the real Image is always
Always same as Distance between
Distance from mirror decreases between F and P
mirror that of object image and the distance
with increase in the
between the object and the
mirror

REFRACTION
of water? The spoon appears
happens when you see a spoon kept in a glass
What
to be bent) A similar
observation is madelwhen a coin is kept under watep/and
coin appears to be raised) All these
observedfrom outside. In this case the
phenomenon are a result of retfraction.

Refraction is a phenomenon which occurs when a ray of light passes from.one

refraction to take place, it is important that
transparent medium to another, For
both the media have different densities. Refiraction can also take place in the
of light passes
same media if the densities of different layers.vary.(When ray
a
from one transparent medium to another transparent medium, there is a change
in its direction (l'his change in direction or bending of light is called refraction.)

ENUNCIATION
Refraction: ri-frak-shuhn
222 Chapter-15> Light and Associated Phenomena
 example the speed of light in vacuum is 3x 10
speed
it is
light takes more time to
So, ligh m/s, whereas in glas8
in glas as
10"
m/s travel
given distance1In glass
glassa than it
um. To compensate for
pldt a k ei n
the drop in speed, it takes
de theg
athinsiade rlass
las so that it does
not take extra
speed, it takes a shor
hanges
changesits its direction while time toCome
travelling through come out
different
o of glass.
mediums.
h u s ,i g l h tc h .

i n rules that are

r u l e s that
e r t aain
there

re
alecerr
followed by light during refraction.
w h e n
t travels
cht
l e t
travelsfrom
fro a rarer to a denser medium, it bends.toward8 the
When

normal
at travels trom a denser to a rarer medium, it bends away from the
W h e n

normal.
ight travels along the normal, there is no deviation, that is, the ray
light travels
W h e n

ffers no refraction.

L e tu sp e r t o r n rform an activity to understand the phenomenon of refraction.

ACTIVITY 4 P N
To demonstrate refraction through a glass slab
im
P
Material sls required: Glass slab, drawing board, few A_
B
pencil, a sheet of paper
M
Fix pins P,
ure: and
P, line PQ and observe on
thepinsi from the other side of the slab. Fix pins P,and N
PSuch that they are collinear with P, and P, as seen
through the glass slab. Remove the glass slab. R C
through

observation: You will see that the straight line is PQT.

M T
However, owing to the presence of the glass slab,
slab, the
the
deviated or refracted p s
ray got along PQRS.

LENSES
When we are not able to see far-off things
or nearby things clearly, we visit an eye
specialist. The doctor checks our eyesight
and if required, suggests the use of
spectacles. Spectacles consist of two curved
glasses known as lenses. A lens can be
defined as a transparent medium having a. ConyTens
one flat and one curved surface or both bConcaveNeb
Fie
Unit V> Natural
Phenomena
 wo types-
Curved surfaces. Lenses that are made of two curved surfaces a
convex lenses and concave lenses.
Convex lens: A convex or Focus
converging
lens is thick at the middle and thin at the
edges, It can be made by joining two curved
Surtaces. A convex lens usually magnifies
Focal
images. length
Concave lens: A concave or diverging a. Conyelens
lens is thin at the middle and thicker at
the edges. Objects look smaller through
concave lenses.
Unlike mirrors, where light is reflected
off the surface, lenses are transparent
Focus
with light passing through them and then
getting deflected.
Focal
Important Terms Used for length
Lenses b. Conp leris
Principal axis: The line joining the A Fig. 15.9 Types of lenses
from which the
centres of the two spheres
lens is formed is called the principal axis
of the lens.
called the optical
centre (0) of the
Optical centre: The centre of the lens is

lens. after
point at which parallel rays of light converge
Principal focus: It is a

passing through a lens.

It is the distance between the optical centre and the focus of a
Focal length: is its focal
lens, it bends the rays and the smaller
lens. The thicker the more
length.
Formation in a Lens
Image
in distance of the
The image formed by a convex lens varies with the change
formed is always
object from the lens. However, with a concave lens, the image
smaller in size, upright and virtual, irrespective of the distance. Let us perform
an activity to understand the images formed with the different lenses.

24 Chapter-15> Light and Associated Phenomena

 ex lens
ens ona
on a ler
lens
holder and
v e x

c o n

o n

other side of the

side
lens, place place a lighted
the
the
u n t

white screen. candle on one side ofof the

e n s .
C nt h e

On a
f t h ec a n d l ef r o

from the lens, get an ne

the
image of the candle Now by
adjusting
ing the distance
on the
screen. distarn
h e
i m a g e
t o r m

nedby
by anobject.is
elens.l fa nobject is
is p object placed realand inverted, if an object
he
ens.
very.close to the lens, the imageiect is farfar away
The nature of the away from
een.
image seen in each ge cannot.be
cannot. be formed
position is ulated jorme
t h e
s c r e

a h b l e1 6 . 2

tabulated in
in

15.2 Image formationin

T a b l1
e 5 . 2I m a
a
convex lens
Position
ofthe Object Position of the
principal ocus and On the Image Nature of the Image
between
same side of the
lens Magnified,
Between

where the object is Magnified, virtual

virtual and
ana
ens

F and 2F (2F =
On the other side of
placed upright
the lens Magnified, real and
Between

distance of the
twice
the beyond 2F inverted
from the lens) points
focus

At2F At 2F on the other side of Same in size, real and

the lens inverted
Beyond 2F Between F and 2F on the Smaller in size, real and
other side of lens inverted

When the objectis.veryclose to

the convex lens, a virtualimage
isformed which is upright and
WONDER Box
magnified. It is also formed on the
Same side of the lens, This type, Theconcave shape ofradiotelescope dishes
of image which is formed on the anddish TV antennahelps in receivingand
transferring of signals in a better way.
same side of lens is used toread
Smalletters of the script using
the image starts
magnifying glass. As the object maves away from the lens,
The is also realL
becoming smaller in _ize and moving claserto thelens. theimage is
the

and inverted. When the object js far away from lens, image very close
to the lens, real and pvertea.

Unit V> Natural Phenomena 225

 ACTIVITY 6
Take a convex lens
and a sheet of
or
magnifying glass, concave ler
paper. Place a sheet of paper in tne pa
of
sunrays as shown in the figure. Now, adjust the
distance between the lens and the a
paper till you get
Drgnt spot on the paper. Hold the lens and thepaper
tnis position for a few minutes. Does the paper begin
burn? Now replace the convex lens with a concave ler

Do you see bright spot on the paper this time, too:

a
why are you not getting a bright spot this time:

Image Formation in the Eye

The humaneye has an inbuilt
convexlens. When the rays Object
of light fall on the eye lens, it
Image
focuses a real and invertedimageR Retina
on the retina, which acts as a
screen. The retina is connected Cornea
to the optic nerves that çarry
Fig. 15.10 Imageformation pthe bemmah eye
the information to the brain.
The brain then interprets the
information and forms a reaand erect image
of the object with the correct size.

SPLITTING OF WHITE LIGHT

first observed that a thin beam of
In the seventeenth century, Sir Isaac Newton
a band of seven colours that include
light after passing through a prism, forms
violet. Sometimes, after it rains, the
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and
Sun starts shining, and we can see a rainbow in the sky. The rainbow consists
white light of the Sun
ofseven colours and is formed by the dispersion of
through transparent water droplets present in the air. The band of seven colours
is called spectrum. The colours of the spectrum are denoted by VIBGYOR. Thus,
white lightisactually composed of several colours. When these colours combine;
they appear white.
We can also prove that white light consists of seven colours by using Newton's
colour dise. A Newton's disc is made by painting a disc with the seven colours. A
stick is placed at thecentre of the dise. On rotating the dise very fast, we can see

226 Chapter-15> Light and Assciated Phenomena

 disc appears white.
p a t
t h ed

the
rotation,th colours
uring one after the
ges
a combined
t h e r
a n de

we see White light

colours, colours Red
the
a l l
Orange
fect h
of

the white colour.

i st h
Yellow
Green
es that white light
T h i sp r o v e st h a t
w b
b i ic
c n .

h i sp r o v e 3lue
seven colours. Indigo
ats of
onsists
of
Violet

A
Fig. 15.11 Spectrum
RUN THROUGH

mirrorS can be of two

Spherica

concave
a
types-concave mirrorss and
convex and convex mirrot
concavermirror, tne nature of image varies with the distance of object from te
mirrors.
.In
mirror.
rror. It can form a real, inverted
It can.
and
The
enlargedor diminished images
image formea na convex mirror is always
virtual, erect and smaller in size.
A concave lens always torms a virtual, smaller and erect
object's position. image irrespective or u
.A convex lens can form a virtual and enlarged
the lens and the tocus. If the object is placed
image if the object is placed between
beyond the focus, the imagefrom
is real, inverted and of different sizes based on the distance of the object tormed
the
lens.
.White light splits into seven colours (VIBGYOR) when it passes through a prism.

TRACK YoUR PROGRESSs

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. A_ lens is also called a diverging lens.
b. Eye lens forms a and
.

image on the retina.

c. Concave lens always forms a
and
image of the object.
d. is a point at which all rays meet after
curved surface of the spherical mirrors.
reflecting from the

Unit V
 GLOSSARY
Point of incidence:
the pont at which an
Concave mirror: a curved mirror whose
the reflecting surface
outer side is polished incident ray meets
that can be
Concave lens: a lens bounded by two Real image: an image
screen
obtained on a
transparent curved surfaces, which is thin
at the middle and thick at the
edges Rectilinear propagation of light: the
Convex mirror: a curved mirror whose property of light by
which light travelsin
inner side is polished a straight line
Reflected ray: a light ray that is sent back
Convex lens: a lens bounded by twvo
transparent curved surfaces, which is from the reflecting surface
thick at the middle and thin at the edges Reflection (of light): the bouncing back
Focus: the point where light rays of light from a surface
originating from the object converge or Retina: the part of the eye that acts as
appear to diverge from screen and is connected to the brain by
Incident ray: a light ray falling on the the optic nerve
reflecting surface Virtual image: an image that cannot be
Laterally inverted image: an image in obtained on a screen
which left appears to be on right side and
vice-versa