Chapter – 9

RAY OPTICS
PRISM
1. A ray of light passes through an equilateral glass prism, such that the angle of incidence
is equal to the angle of emergence. If the angle of emergence is ¾ times the angle of
prism, calculate the refractive index of the glass prism.

2. One face of a prism of refracting angle 30° and refractive index 1.414 is silvered. At what
angle must a ray of light fall on the unsilvered face so that after refraction into the prism
and reflection at the silvered surface it retraces its path?
Ans.
3. A ray of light PQ is incident at angle of 60° on the face AB of a prism of angle 30°, as
shown in fig. The ray emerging out of the prism makes an angle of 30° with the incident
ray. Show that the emergent ray is perpendicular to the face BC through which it
emerges. Also calculate the refractive index of the prism material.

Ans: Here i = 60°, A = 30°

As the emergent ray makes an angle of 30° with the incident ray, so
Angle of deviation, δ = 30°
Now i + e = A + δ
Therefore, Angle of emergence, e = A + δ – i = 30° + 30° - 60° = 0°
Thus, the emergent ray is perpendicular to the face BC through which it emerges, as
shown in figure.
When e = 0°, r1 = 0°
Therefore, r2 = A – r1 = 30°-0° = 30°
μ = sin i/ sin r = sin 60°/ sin 30° = (√3/2)/(1/2) = √3

4. Find angle of emergence and angle of deviation if the refractive index of prism is √2.
 Ans:

TIR

1. A beam of light consisting of red green and blue colours is incident on a right -angled prism. The
refractive index of the material of the prism for the above red, green and blue wavelengths are
1.39, 1.44 and 1.47, respectively. Trace the path followed by each ray and justify your answer.

Ans.

So, for blue and green light the refractive index is more than 1.414. They undergo TIR.
However, for red light the refractive index is less than 1.414. So, it refracts and emerges out
through the face AC.
2. The figure shows a ray of light falling normally on the face AB of an equilateral glass
prism having refractive index 3/2, placed in water of refractive index 4/3 . Will this ray
suffer total internal reflection on striking the face AC? Justify your answer.

Ans. No. It will not undergo TIR.

Critical angle is given by
Sin ic = nr/nd = (4/3)/(3/2) = 8/9 =0.89
Here the angle of incidence on face AC is 60o.
So, sin i = sin 60 = √3 / 2 = 0.87
Hence sin i < sin ic and TIR will not happen.

3. A small bulb is placed at the bottom of a tank containing water to a depth of 80 cm.
What is the area of the surface of water through which light from the bulb can emerge
out? Refractive index of water is 1.33. (Consider the bulb to be a point source.)
THIN LENS FORMULA
1. A screen is placed 90 cm away from an object. The image of the object on the screen is formed
by a convex lens at two different locations separated by 20 cm. Find the focal length of lens.

Ans. The two lens positions are as given below:

Thus u + v = 90
And v – u = 20
On solving,
u = 35cm and v = 55cm
Thus, by lens formula,
1/f = 1/v – 1/u with sign convention, v = +55 and u = -35
= 1/55 + 1/35
And f = 21.4cm

2. A beam of light converges at a point P. Now a lens is placed in the path of the
convergent beam 12cm from P. At what point does the beam converge if the lens is (a) a
convex lens of focal length 20 cm, and (b) a concave lens of focal length 16cm?

Ans.
3. An illuminated object and a screen are placed 90cm apart. What is the nature of the lens
and focal length required to produce a clear image on the screen, twice the size of the
object?
COMBINATION OF LENSES

1. Three lenses of focal lengths +10 cm, -10 cm and +30 cm are arranged coaxially as in the
figure given below. Find the position of the final image formed by the combination of
the lenses.

2. Three lenses L1,L2,L3 are given each of focal length 10cm. An object is kept at 15cm in
front of L1. The final real image is formed at focus of L3 on the right side. Find the
separation between L1, L2 and L3.

Ans. For L1,

LENS MAKER’S FORMULA

1. Radius of curvature of a biconcave lens is 30cm on both sides. Find its focal length if the
refractive index of the lens is 1.5.
Ans. 1/f = (n21 – 1) (1/R1 - 1/R2)
R1 = -30cm, R2 = +30cm, n2 =1.5 and n1 = 1
R1 = -ve R2 = +ve
Substituting, we get 1/f = (1.5 – 1) (1/-30 - 1/30)
= 0.5 x (-2/30)
= - 1/30
Or, f = -30cm

2. A biconvex lens of radius of curvature 10cm and 15cm respectively has a focal length of
12cm. Find its refractive index.

ns. 1/f = (n21 – 1) (1/R1 - 1/R2)

R1 = +10cm, R2 = -15cm, f = +12cm and n1 = 1
R2 = -ve R1 = +ve
Substituting, we get 1/f = (n – 1) (1/10 - 1/-15)
1/12 = (n-1) x (3/30 + 2/30)
= (n-1) x 5/30

½ = n-1
Or, n = 1.5

3. A converging lens of focal length 20cm is made using a material of refractive index 1.6. If
it is dipped in (i) water and (ii) a medium of refractive index 1.8, what will its new focal
length be in each case?

Ans.
 i) ii)

ii)

4. A double convex lens made of glass of refractive index 1.5 has both radii of curvature of
magnitude 20 cm. If an object of size 5cm is placed at a distance of 10 cm from this lens, find the
position, nature and size of the image formed.

Ans.

Substituting values in thin lens formula, we get v = -20cm

(Since image is on same side of object, we have a virtual and erect image)

Magnification, m = v/u = -20/-10 = 2

Thus h’/h = 2
Or h’ = 2h = 10cm

EQUIVALENT FOCAL LENGTH

1. A converging lens of focal length 50 cm is placed coaxially in contact with another lens
of unknown focal length. The combination behaves like a diverging lens of focal length
50 cm, what is the power and nature of second lens?

Ans. 1/f = 1/f1 + 1/f2

-1/50 = +1/50 + 1/f2
So, 1/f2 = -1/25
So, Power = -100/25 = -4D
 2. A convex lens of power 10 D and a concave lens of power 5 D are placed in contact
calculate the focal length and power of the equivalent lens.

Ans.

P=5D

F equivalent = 1/P = 1/5 = 0.2 m = 20cm

3. Calculate the focal length of the combination o f a convex lens of focal length 30 cm in
contact with a concave lens of focal length 20 cm. Is the system a converging or a
diverging lens?

Ans.

REFRACTION AT SPHERICAL SURFACE

A glass globe of 30 cm diameter is made of glass of refractive index is 1.5. A ray enters the globe
parallel to the axis. Find the position from the centre of the sphere where the ray crosses the
axis.

Ans.
APPARENT DEPTH
1. A small pin fixed on a table top is viewed from above from a distance of 50 cm. By what
distance would the pin appear to be raised if it is viewed from the same point through a
15 cm thick glass slab held parallel to the table? Refractive index of glass = 1.5. Does the
answer depend on the location of the slab?
ans.
2. A tank is filled with water to a height of 12.5 cm. The apparent depth of a needle lying at
the bottom of the tank is measured by a microscope to be 9.4 cm. What is the refractive
index of water? If water is replaced by a liquid of refractive index 1.63 up to the same
height, by what distance would the microscope have to be moved to focus on the
needle again?
Ans.