DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL ELDECO

CLASS VIII
CHAPTER LIGHT

NCERT QUEST AND ANS

Exercise Questions
1. Suppose you are in a dark room. Can you see objects in the
room? Can you see objects outside the room? Explain.
Soln:
If a person is inside the room where there is no light, it is then impossible
to visualize the object inside the room but the object out of the room can
be seen easily.
When light falls on eyes after reflecting from the object, it becomes
visible. If the room is dark, then the object which is in the room reflects
no light. Hence, the person is not able to see the objects in the room
where there is no light.
2. Differentiate between regular and diffused reflection. Does
diffused reflection mean the failure of the laws of reflection?
Soln:

S.No Regular Reflection Diffused Reflection

1. It occurs when the surface is smooth. It occurs when the surface is a

rough surface.

2. Reflected rays move in a particular direction Reflected rays scattered in

parallel to one another random directions.

3 Example: Reflection by the plane mirror Example: Reflection by the road

surface.
4 Image formed is bright and clear Image formed is not so bright
and clear
The laws of reflection have not failed because each ray obeys the law of
reflection. All the reflected rays are parallel to each other, whereas in
diffused reflection the rays aren’t parallel to the incident rays.
3. Mention against each of the following whether regular or
diffused reflection will take place when a beam of light strikes.
Justify your answer in each case.
(a) Polished wooden table
(b) Chalk powder
(c) Cardboard surface
(d) Marble floor with water spread over it
(e) Mirror
(f) Piece of paper
Soln:
a) The wooden table that has been a polished-Regular reflection
The surface that has been recently polished can be a good example of a
smooth surface. The wooden table that has been polished has a surface
that is smooth.
b) White Chalk powder that is used in school- Diffused reflection
Chalk powder spread on a surface is an example of an irregular surface.
Hence, it is rough. Therefore, the diffused reflection will appear from
chalk powder.
c) Cardboard surface- Diffused reflection
The surface of the cardboard is a kind of irregular surface. Hence, the
diffused reflection will take place from a cardboard surface.
d) Marble floor – Regular reflection
Marble floor can be a good example of a surface that is regular.
Because water makes the ceramic glossy. Thus, the reflections that are
regular occurs on this surface.
e) Mirror- Regular reflection
A mirror has a very smooth surface hence it gives a regular reflection.
f) Piece of paper- Diffused reflection
Although a piece of paper may look smooth, it has many irregularities on
its surface. Because of this reason, it will give a diffused reflection.
4. State the laws of reflection.
Soln:
The law of reflection states that
a) The angle of reflection and the angle of incidence both are always
equal to one another.
b) The reflected ray, the incident ray, and the normal to the reflective
surface at the point of incidence all come on the same plane.
5. Describe an activity to show that the incident ray, the reflected
ray and the normal at the point of incidence lie in the same plane.
Soln:

Materials Required: Plane mirror, holder, ray box, etc.

Procedure: Fix sheet of white paper, a little beyond the edge of the
board. Place a plane mirror strip vertically to the paper using a stand.
Throw light from a ray box on the mirror. Look at the reflected ray. Mark
the incident ray, normal ray and reflected ray. Fold the paper which is
beyond the edge of the board. You will observe that the reflected ray is
not seen in the folded portion of the chart paper. Now bring the folded
portion back to its original position. The reflected ray of light is again
seen on the page.
Conclusion: The sheet on the board can be considered as a plane. The
incident ray, the reflected ray, the normal at the point of incidence lie in
the same plane.

6. Fill in the blanks in the following.

(a) A person 1 m in front of a plane mirror seems to be
_______________ m away from his image.
(b) If you touch your ____________ ear with right hand in front of a
plane mirror it will be seen in the mirror that your right ear is
touched with ____________.
(c) The size of the pupil becomes ____________ when you see in
dim light.
(d) Night birds have ____________ cones than rods in their eyes.
Soln:
(a) A person 1 m in front of a plane mirror seems to be 2m away from his
image.
(b) If you touch your left ear with right hand in front of a plane mirror it
will be seen in the mirror that your right ear is touched with the left hand.
(c) The size of the pupil becomes large when you see in dim light.
(d) Night birds have fewer cones than rods in their eyes.
Choose the correct option in Questions 7 – 8
7. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
(a) Always
(b) Sometimes
(c) Under special conditions
(d) Never
Soln:
Answer is (a) Always
8. Image formed by a plane mirror is
(a) virtual, behind the mirror and enlarged.
(b) virtual, behind the mirror and of the same size as the object.
(c) real at the surface of the mirror and enlarged.
(d) real, behind the mirror and of the same size as the object.
Soln:
Answer is (b) virtual, behind the mirror and of the same size as the
object.
9. Describe the construction of a kaleidoscope.
Soln:
The construction of a kaleidoscope:

Take three rectangular mirror strips of dimensions 15cm x 4cm (l x b)

and join them together to form a prism. A prism is fixed into a circular
cardboard tube. The circular cardboard tube should be slightly longer
than the prism. This circular tube is now closed at one end with a
cardboard disc. This disc has a hole through which we can see. At the
other end of the circular tube, a plane glass plate is fixed. It is important
that this glass plate touches the prism mirrors. On this glass plate,
several small and broken pieces of coloured glass are placed. This end
is now closed by a round glass plate allowing enough space for the
coloured glass pieces to move.
10. Draw a labelled sketch of the human eye.
Soln:
11. Gurmit wanted to perform Activity 16.8 using a laser torch. Her
teacher advised her not to do so. Can you explain the basis of the
teacher’s advise?
Soln:
Her teacher advised her not to do so because of the intensity of the laser
light is very high, it is harmful to the human eyes. It can cause damage
to the retina and leads to blindness. Hence, it is advisable not to look at
a laser beam directly.
12. Explain how you can take care of your eyes.
Soln:
The following points help a person to take care of his eyes:
a) Reading should not be done in bright light as well as in dim light.
b) He should visit an eye specialist on a regular interval of time.
c) If any small insects or dust particles enters his eyes, do not rub them
but clean them immediately with cold water.
d) He should avoid direct exposure of sunlight to the eye.
e) While reading, there should be a distance of at least 25 cm between
the eyes and the book.

13. What is the angle of incidence of a ray if the reflected ray is at

an angle of 90° to the incident ray?
Soln
Here, the angle of reflection is 90°. As we know, according to the
laws of reflection that angle of incidence is equal to angle of
reflection.
Here, the angle between the incident ray and reflected ray is 90°.
i.e., ∠i + ∠r = 90°
Since, ∠i = ∠r
We can write, ∠i + ∠i = 90°
⇒ 2∠i = 90°
⇒ ∠i = 45°
Angle of incidence = 45°.

14. How many images of a candle will be formed if it is placed

between two parallel plane mirrors separated by 40 cm?
Soln:
If a candle is placed between two parallel plane mirror separated by 40
cm, then the multiple and infinite images will be formed due to the
multiple reflections between the mirrors. The infinite numbers of images
are formed when two mirrors are placed parallel to each other.
15. Two mirrors meet at right angles. A ray of light is incident on
one at an angle of 30° as shown in Fig. 16.19. Draw the reflected ray
from the second mirror.

Soln:
The first law of reflection is used to
obtain the path of reflected light.
It can be observed that the given ray
of light will reflect from the second
mirror at an angle of 60°.
16. Boojho stands at A just on the side of a plane mirror as shown
in Fig. 16.20. Can he see himself in the mirror? Also, can he see the
image of objects situated at P, Q and R?

Answer
No, Boojho can’t see himself in the mirror. He can see the image of the object at
P and Q but not of R.

17. (a) Find out the position of the image of an object situated at A
in the plane mirror (Fig.16.21)
 (b) Can Paheli at B see this image?
(c) Can Boojho at C see this image?
(d) When Paheli moves from B to C, where does the image of A
move?

Soln:

a) Image of an object placed at A is formed behind the mirror. The distance

of the image from the mirror is equal to the distance of A from the mirror
b)Yes Paheli at B can see this image.
c) Yes Boojho at C can see this image.
d) Image of the object at A will not move. It will remain at the same
position when Paheli moves from B to C.

LIVING SCIENCE QUEST AND ANSWER

A Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

The angle of incidence is

(a) the angle that the incident ray makes with the mirror
(b) the angle that the incident ray makes with the normal at the point of
incidence
(c) 180° minus the angle that the incident ray makes with the mirror
(d) the angle that the incident ray makes with the reflected ray
ANSWER:

(b) the angle that the incident ray makes with the normal at the point of
incidence
The angle of incidence is the angle made by an incident ray with the
normal at the point of incidence.
Question 2:

If you stand in front of a plane mirror and scratch your left cheek, your
image
(a) scratches its left cheek.
(b) scratches its right cheek.
(c) scratches both cheeks one by one.
(d) does not scratch at all.
ANSWER:

(b) scratches its right cheek

In a plane mirror, the image is laterally inverted.

Question 3:

The image formed by a plane mirror is

(a) virtual, erect, behind the mirror and smaller than the object.
(b) virtual, erect, behind the mirror and the same size as the object.
(c) virtual, inverted, behind the mirror and the same size as the object.
(d) real, erect, behind the mirror and the same size as the object.
ANSWER:

(b) virtual, erect, behind the mirror and of the same size as the object
Image formed by a plane mirror is always virtual, erect, behind the mirror
and of the same size as the object.
Question 4:

If the angle between the mirror and the incident ray is 30°, the angle of
reflection is
(a) 30°.
(b) 60°.
(c) 15°.
(d) 90°.
ANSWER:

(b) 60⁰

Incident angle = Angle of reflection

Incident angle = 90° - 30° = 60° = Angle of reflection
Question 5:

The image formed by a plane mirror is formed

(a) on the surface of the mirror.
(b) just in front of the mirror.
(c) just behind the mirror.
(d) as much behind the mirror as the object is in front of the mirror.
ANSWER:

(d) as much behind the mirror as the object is in front of the mirror.
The image formed by a plane mirror is formed as much behind the mirror
as the object is in front of the mirror
Question 6:

Two plane mirrors are kept at the following angles one by one. In which
case is the number of images formed maximum?
(a) 30°
(b) 60°
(c) 45°
(d) 90°
ANSWER:

(a) 30⁰
When two plane mirrors are inclined to each other at an angle of 30⁰, the
number of images formed is maximum.

B Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:

Is the reflection of light by the smooth walls of your house regular or

irregular?
ANSWER:

The reflection of light from the walls of our house is irregular, as at the
microscopic level, their surfaces are not smooth. This is known as
diffused reflection. The roughness or smoothness of a surface, even if it
is microscopical, tremendously affects the subsequent reflection of a
beam of light.

Question 2:

A plane mirror always forms the image of an object exactly on the

reflecting surface. True or false?
ANSWER:

True.
A plane mirror always forms a virtual image, i.e., the rays of light from
the object don't actually form the image; but these are the extensions of
the reflected light rays that appear to intersect behind the mirror. Hence,
the image is formed on the reflecting surface.

Question 3:

Is the image formed by a plane mirror exactly of the same size as the
object?
ANSWER:
Yes, the image formed by a plane mirror is always virtual, erect, behind
the mirror and of the same size as the object.

Question 4:

The image formed by a plane mirror is always erect. True or false?

ANSWER:

True
The image formed by a plane mirror is always virtual, erect, behind the
mirror and of the same size as the object.

Question 5:

If angle of incidence of a ray on a plane mirror is 60°, what is the angle

of reflection?
ANSWER:

In optics, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Therefore, the angle of reflection will also be 60°.

Question 6:

The angle of incidence of a ray on a mirror is the angle that the ray
makes with the mirror at the point of incidence. True or false?
ANSWER:

False. The angle of incidence is the angle made by an incident ray with
a perpendicular (ie normal) to the mirror at the point of incidence.

Question 7:

Two plane mirrors kept at 60° form __________ images of an object

kept between them.
ANSWER:

Two plane mirrors kept at 60° form 5 images of an object kept between
them.

The number of images formed by two plane mirrors kept at a particular

angle are as follows:
n = [(360°/Θ) - 1 ] when (360°/Θ) is even integer, and
n = (360°/Θ) when (360°/Θ) is odd integer
Here, Θ is the angle between the two mirrors.
Therefore, the number of images formed (n) = [(360°/60°) - 1 ] = [6 - 1] =
5

Question 8:

In a kaleidoscope, the mirrors make an angle of __________ with each

other.
ANSWER:

In a kaleidoscope, the mirrors make an angle of 60° with each other.

C Short Answer Questions ( Type 1)

Question 1:

What is reflection of light?

ANSWER:

Reflection of light is the phenomenon in which a ray of light bounces

back after striking a surface
Question 2:

What is the second law of reflection?

ANSWER:

The second law of reflection states that incident ray, normal and
reflected ray all lies in the same plane at the point of incidence.
Question 3:

What is lateral inversion?

ANSWER:

Lateral inversion is a type of sideways reversal that occurs with an

image formed by a plane mirror. For example, if a person raises his/her
right hand, his/her image in the mirror will show the left hand up.

Question 4:

Draw the image of the letter 'B' as formed by a plane mirror placed on
the right side of 'B'.
ANSWER:

The image of the letter 'B' as formed by a plane mirror placed on the
right side of 'B' is as follows:

Question 5:

What is the function of a periscope in a submarine?

ANSWER:

The periscope of a submarine helps its crew to locate any object or

enemy ship on the surface of the sea.

D Short Answer Questions ( Type II)

Question 1:

Differentiate between regular and diffused reflection. Draw diagrams to

show the two types of reflections.
ANSWER:

Ans:
Regular Reflection
1) If a beam of light falls on a mirror, the entire beam is reflected in only
one direction. This is called regular reflection.
2) 2) It occurs on smooth surfaces
3) 3) Image formed is bright and clear.
4) 4) It is not good for our eyes.

Diffused Reflection.

1)When the rays in a beam of light fall on an object with an uneven

surface, they get reflected in different directions. This is called irregular
or diffused reflection.
2) It occurs on rough surfaces.
3) Image formed will not be bright and clear
4) It is good for our eyes .

Question 2:

State the first law of reflection, and show it by a labelled diagram.

ANSWER:
The first law of reflection states that the angle of incident is equal to the
angle of reflection.

Question 3:

Why are multiple images formed when two mirrors are placed at right
angles to each other?
ANSWER:

When two mirrors are placed at a right angle to each other, multiple
images are formed due to multiple reflections. The image formed by the
first mirror acts as the object for the second mirror.

Question 4:

Calculate the number of images formed by plane mirrors kept at an

angle of 10° to each other.
ANSWER:

The number of images formed by two plane mirrors kept at an angle of

10° to each other can be given by:
n = [(360°/Θ) - 1 ]
Therefore, the number of images formed (n) = [(360°/10°) - 1 ] = [36 - 1]
= 35

Question 5:

What is a kaleidoscope? State the principle on which it is based.

ANSWER:

A kaleidoscope is a tube-shaped optical instrument that is rotated to

produce a succession of symmetrical designs by means of multiple
mirror reflections. The constantly changing patterns are made by bits of
coloured glasses present at one end of the tube. The kaleidoscope
operates on the principle of multiple reflections, where several mirrors
are placed at an angle of 60°(usually) to one another.

E Long answer Questions

Question 1:

List the main characteristics of the image formed by a plane mirror.

ANSWER:

The main characteristics of an image formed by a plane mirror are as

follows:
1. It forms a virtual image.
2. Image is formed behind the mirror.
3. Image is erect.
4. Image is of the same size as the object.
5. Image is at the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in
front of the mirror.
Question 2:

State three uses of a plane mirror.

ANSWER:

Three uses of a plane mirror are:

1) Plane mirrors are mostly used to reflect light on an object.
2) Plane mirrors are also used in scientific apparatus like telescopes and
periscopes.
3) Plane mirrors are also used in kaleidoscopes for producing
symmetrical patterns through multiple reflections from inclined mirrors
enclosed in a tube.

Question 3:

Two mirror are kept perpendicular to each other. A ray strikes one mirror
at an angle of 45° to the normal. Find the direction of the ray after
reflection by the second mirror, by drawing a ray diagram.
ANSWER:

Here, i1 = r1 = i2 = r2 = 450

HOTS
 Question 1:
 In which direction will a light ray falling along the normal to a mirror
be reflected?
 ANSWER:
 The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. If the
incident ray falls along the normal to a surface, it will be reflected
along the normal i.e., the right ray will retrace its path.

 Question 2:
 A ray incident on a plane mirror is reflected in a direction such that
the angle between the incident and the reflected ray is 90°. What
are the angles of incidence and reflection?
 ANSWER:
 The law of reflection states that the angle of reflection is equal to
the angle of incidence.
i.e., i + r = 900 (given)....... (1)
where, i and r have their usual meaning
Therefore, from the law of reflection, i = r
Now, putting it in equation (1)
=> i + i = 900
=> i = 450
=> r = i = 450

 Question 3:
 If all objects around us were to reflect light in a regular way, what
problems might we face?
 ANSWER:
 Irregular reflection is what enables us to see all the objects around
us. But, in case of a regular reflection, every object would have
acted as a mirror thereby illuminating the surroundings. This would
have a blinding effect on our eyes making it harder for us to see
things around us.
 Question 4:
 A boy is standing at a distance of 4 m in front of a mirror. He
moves 2 m towards the mirror. In which direction will the image
move−towards the mirror or away from it?
 ANSWER:
 In a plane mirror, the image is formed at the same distance behind
the mirror as the object is in front of it. Hence, when the boy moves
towards the mirror, his image will also move towards it by the
same distance.

 Question 5:
 In the figure shown below, MN is a plane mirror. W, X, Y and Z are
four children. Mark the positions of the reflections of W, X, Y and Z
in the mirror. Answer the following questions.
(a) Which child/children can see their own images in the mirror?
(b) Can child W are see images of X, Y and Z in the mirror?

 ANSWER:
 The reflections of W, X, Y and Z are as follows:

The boy 'Z' will have no reflection, as the incident ray from him is
parallel to the plane of the mirror.

(a) Only X will be able to see his own image.

(b) W can see the reflections of X and Y but not Z, as the incident
ray from Z is parallel to the plane of the mirror.

 Question 6:
 Can the image formed by a plane mirror be projected on to a
screen?
 ANSWER:
 No, the image formed in a plane mirror cannot be projected on a
screen, as it is a virtual image. Only real images can be projected
on a screen.

 Question 7:
 The image of an object is formed by two plane mirrors. One of the
mirrors is double the size of the other. In which case will the image
be bigger? Why?
 ANSWER:
 The image formed by a plane mirror is always virtual, erect, behind
the mirror and of the same size as the object. The size of the
image is independent of the size of the plane mirror. Hence, the
image in both the mirrors will be of the same size.