Geometrical Optics

1. The diagram shows a ray of monochromatic light incident on a D-shaped glass block.

(a) (i) What is monochromatic light? [2 marks]

(ii) Explain why the ray passes undeviated through the block. [2 marks]

(b) The glass block is now rotated about point O and the beam is observed to move from A
to B. Beyond B the beam disappears.

(i) Explain, by means of a ray diagram, why the beam moves as the block is rotated.
[4 marks]
(ii) If the refractive index of the glass is 1.5, find the angle through which the block must be
rotated before the beam disappears.
[4 marks]
(iii) What would you observe if the monochromatic light were replaced by white light?
[4 marks]

(iv) State the name given to the effect described in (iii). [2 marks]
(September 2000, Section C no. 4)

2.

(a) An object placed 20 cm in front of a lens of focal length 12 cm forms an image on the
screen.
(i) Work out the image distance. [3 marks]
(ii) If the object is 15 mm high, find the height of the image formed. [2 marks]
 (b) (i) Describe how you would use the apparatus in (a) to perform an experiment to measure
the focal length of the lens. State the measurements you would need to take, the graph
plotted, and how it is used to the focal length.
[6 marks]
(ii) A second measurement of the focal length of the lens is obtained by focusing a distant
object on the screen. State which of the two methods, (b)(i) or (ii), gives the more
reliable value for the focal length. Explain why.
[2 marks]

(c) The object in (a) is now placed 10 cm in front of the lens.

(i) Explain why no image can be obtained on the screen.

[2 marks]

(ii) Draw a ray diagram to show the position of the image formed. [3 marks]
(September 2001 Section C no. 3)

3. A converging lens of focal length 20 cm is placed 15 cm away from an object of height 3 cm.
(a) Calculate: (i) the image distance
(ii) the height of the image formed. [3 marks]
(b) Draw a ray diagram showing how the image is formed. [2 marks]
(May 2002 no. 4)

4.

A ray of light is incident on a glass-water boundary at an angle of 250.

(a) What is the angle of refraction in water? [2 marks]
(b) Calculate the angle at which total internal reflection takes place. [3 marks]
(nglass = 1.52 ; nwater = 1.33)

(September 2002 no. 4)

5. (a)

The refractive index of glass varies with the wavelength of light as shown in Fig. (A)
(1 nm = 10-9 m). A beam of white light is incident on a glass prism as shown in Fig. (B).

(i) Describe and explain clearly what happens to the beam of white light as it passes
through the prism and emerges at the opposite face. Use a diagram to support your
answer. [4 marks]
(ii) What is the name given to this effect? [2 marks]
(iii) Estimate the angle made between the red light (wavelength 700 nm) and the violet
light (wavelength 200 nm) inside the prism. [4 marks]

(b) A small insect is viewed through a convex lens that acts as a magnifying glass. The insect
is 1.5 cm from the lens, and appears upright and twice its size.
(i) Calculate the focal length of the lens. [4 marks]
(ii) Sketch a ray diagram to show how the lens acts as a magnifying glass. [4 marks]
(May 2003 Section C no. 12)
6. For light travelling from a medium of refractive index 𝑛 into a medium of refractive index 𝑛 ,
(a) What are the conditions for total internal reflection to occur? [2 marks]

(b) A ray of light strikes a glass block of rectangular cross-section of refractive index 1.5 at
an angle of incidence of 480. The ray of light is refracted within the glass cube and is then
incident at the critical angle when it reaches the glass-liquid boundary. It follows the path
taken as shown above. Calculate the critical angle at the glass-liquid interface.
[3 marks]
(May 2004 no. 6)
7. (a) Define the term refractive index. [2 marks]
(b) A parallel beam of light travelling through water is incident on its horizontal surface in
contact with the air. The speed of light in water is 2.25 x 108 ms-1. Calculate the minimum
angle the beam can make with the horizontal if light is to escape into the air, where the
speed of light is 3.00 x 108 ms-1.
[3 marks]
(September 2004 no. 6)
8. A narrow parallel beam of white light strikes the midpoint of the side of a 600 glass prism, as
shown below:

(a) Draw a diagram showing what happens to the light as it passes into the prism and comes
out of the far side. [1 mark]

(b) What is this phenomenon called? [1 mark]

(c) A ray from a monochromatic source is totally internally reflected at a glass-air interface if
the angle of incidence at the interface is 420 or greater. Calculate the angle at which a ray
must strike the first surface of the prism so that it is just totally internally reflected at the
second surface, given that the refractive index for glass is 1.49.
[3 marks]
(May 2005 no. 7)
9. (a) When light enters glass from air, refraction takes place. What happens to:
(i) the frequency of the light;
(ii) the wavelength, during this process?
Explain your answers to (i) and (ii) above. [4 marks]

(b) A student is asked to perform an experiment to find the focal length of a convex lens. The
apparatus available consists of a convex lens, a source of white light, a single slit and a
screen. Describe a way in which the experiment could be carried out. The description
must include:
 the measurements that need to be taken;
 any equations needed;
 the graph to be plotted and how this can be used to find the focal length.
[6 marks]
 (c) The focal length of the convex lens is 12.0 cm. The student places an object 20 cm in
front of the lens.
(i) Calculate the image distance from the lens when a sharp image is formed on the
screen. [2 marks]
(ii) If the object is 15 mm high, find the height of the image formed. [2 marks]
(iii) The object is then placed 10 cm in front of the same lens. Explain what happens in
this case. [2 marks]
(iv) Draw a ray diagram to show the position of the image formed in (iii). [2 marks]
(May 2005 no. 14)
10. An object is placed 5 cm in front of a converging lens of focal length 3 cm. The height of the
object is 3 cm.
(a) Calculate:
(i) the image distance;
(ii) the magnification of the image produced;
(iii) the height of the image formed.
[1, 1, 1 marks]
(b) Draw a ray diagram, showing how the image is formed, carefully indicating whether the
image is erect or inverted.
[2 marks]
(September 2005 no. 9)
11. A converging lens is placed 20 cm away from an object of height 5 cm. The lens has a focal
length of 15 cm.
(a) Calculate:
(i) the image distance;
(ii) the height of the image formed.
(b) Draw a ray diagram showing how the image is formed.
[2, 1, 2 marks]
(September 2006 no. 2)
12. When an object is placed 10 cm from a converging lens, an erect image which is three times
as long as the object is obtained.
(a) State whether the image formed is real or virtual.
(b) Calculate the image distance from the lens.
(c) Find the focal length of the lens.
[1, 2, 2 marks]
(May 2007 no. 7)
13. The figure below shows a cross-section through a rectangular light-emitting diode (LED). When
current passes through the LED, light is emitted from the semiconductor material at P and
passes through the transparent material and into the air at Q.

(a) The refractive index of the transparent material of the LED is 1.5. Calculate the critical angle
of this material when the LED is in air.
(b) Light ray PQ is incident on the surface at Q. Calculate the angle of incidence of this light
ray at Q if the angle of refraction is 400.
(c) The figure above also shows a second light ray PR incident at R at an angle of incidence
of 450. What happens to this light ray? Give a reason for your answer.
[1, 2, 2 marks]

(September 2007 no. 10)

14. (a) A student performs an experiment to measure the focal length of a converging lens. In the
experiment a series of object and image distances (𝑢 and 𝑣) is obtained. A graph of 𝑢𝑣
against (𝑢 + 𝑣) is plotted. This graph is shown below.

(i) Show that the slope of such a graph is equal to the focal length of the lens.
[3 marks]
 (ii) From the graph, obtain a value for this focal length.
[3 marks]

(b) (i) Explain what is meant by a virtual image. [1 mark]

(ii) Draw a well-labelled ray diagram to show the formation of a virtual image formed by
placing an object in front of a thin converging lens. State what such an arrangement
is used for, in practice.
[4 marks]
(c) A real object which is 3.0 cm high, is placed 60 cm away from a converging lens of focal
length 20 cm.
(i) Calculate the position of the image,
(ii) Find the image size.
(iii) State whether the image formed is real or virtual.
[3, 3, 1 marks]
(September 2007 no. 15)
15. A digital camera uses a converging lens having a focal length of 10 cm to focus an image of a
real object on its digital sensor.
(a) Calculate how far the lens must be set away from the sensor, in order to photograph
an object 100 cm away from the lens, obtaining a clear image. [3 marks]
(b) Calculate the magnification of the image. [2 marks]
(May 2008 no. 7)
16. (a) A ray of light from an object hits mirror 1, as shown in the figure below, and is then
reflected onto mirror 2.
(i) Calculate the angle of reflection of the light ray as it leaves the second mirror.
[3 marks]
(ii) The object has printed text on the outside. State two properties of the image of the
text as it appears to a viewer looking through the second mirror.
[2 marks]
 (b) A light ray strikes the midpoint of the side AB of a 600 prism, at an angle of incidence of
350. The refractive index of the prism is 1.52.

(i) Calculate the angle of refraction of the light ray as it enters the prism.
[1 mark]
(ii) Calculate the change in the speed of light as it enters the prism. [2 marks]
(iii) Find the angle of incidence as the ray hits the face AC of the prism. Include a ray
diagram showing what happens to the light ray as it passes into the prism and
emerges on the other side.
[3 marks]
(c) Explain the meaning of total internal reflection. [2 marks]
(d) Name ONE natural phenomenon which occurs due to total internal reflection. [1 mark]
(e) Draw ray diagrams, labelling the denser medium using the letter X, to explain what
happens when:
(i) a light ray hits an interface between two media, at the critical angle; [2 marks]
(ii) total internal reflection takes place. [2 marks]
(Speed of light in air = 3 x 108 ms-1)
(May 2008 no. 14)
17. When an object is placed 10 cm from a converging lens, an erect image which is three times
as long as the object is obtained. Calculate:
(a) the image distance from the lens; [2 marks]
(b) the focal length of the lens. [3 marks]

(September 2008 no. 5)

18. (a) A right angled isosceles glass prism is to be used to deviate a beam of light through 900
as shown in the figure below:
 (i) In terms of the angle of incidence within the glass prism, give a valid reason why the
ray is changing direction as shown. [1 mark]

(ii) State ONE practical use of glass prisms of this type. [2 marks]

(b) A ray of monochromatic light hits a D-shaped glass block as shown below. The glass
block is rotated about O and the deviated ray moves from A to B. Beyond B, the light ray
disappears.

(i) What is meant by the term monochromatic? [2 marks]

(ii) Explain why the ray reaching A. passes through the block undeviated. [2 marks]

(iii) In which direction must the block be rotated for the light ray to move from A to B.
[2 marks]
(iv) Draw a ray diagram to show the position of the glass block when the light ray is
at B. [2 marks]

(v) Calculate the angle of incidence at O, when the ray reaches B. [3 marks]

(vi) Calculate the refractive index for this glass block. [2 marks]

(vii) Explain what you would observe if the monochromatic light were replaced by white
light. [2 marks]

(September 2008, Section C no. 12)

19. A narrow beam of light enters a rectangular block of glass at an angle of incidence of 450, as
shown in the figure below.

(a) Copy the diagram and draw the path the light ray takes on the inside of the glass block
and after emerging from the glass block. [1 mark]
 (b) Calculate the angle of refraction in the block if the refractive index of the glass is 1.54.
[2 marks]
(c) Calculate the distance the light ray travels inside the glass block, given the width of the
glass block is 80 mm. [2 marks]
(May 2009 no. 4)

20. A convex lens has a focal length, 𝑓, of 40 mm. An object is placed 35 mm away from the lens.
(a) Draw a ray diagram showing how the image is formed. [2 marks]
(b) State whether the image formed is real or virtual. [1 mark]
(c) Calculate the image distance from the lens. [2 marks]
(September 2009 no. 8)

21. The figure below shows an isosceles glass prism. The refractive index, 𝑛, of the glass is 1.6.
A monochromatic light ray is incident on the prism, normal to the face AC.

(i) Copy the diagram and draw the path that the light ray takes as it goes into the prism and
reaches the face AB. [2 marks]

(ii) Calculate the angle of incidence at the face AB of the prism. [2 marks]

(iii) Calculate the critical angle for the glass-air interface. [3 marks]

(iv) Is the ray in (i) refracted or totally internally reflected, when it reaches face AB? Give a
reason for your answer. [3 marks]
(September 2009 no. 14(a))
22. Monochromatic light from a sodium lamp enters a glass prism of refractive index 1.3. The
direction of the rays of light entering the prism is parallel to the base of the glass prism as
shown in the figure below:

(i) Calculate the angle of refraction inside the prism for the ray PQ. [2 marks]

(ii) Calculate the angle of incidence at X, for the ray QX. [2 marks]

(iii) Find the critical angle for the material of the prism. Hence, state what happens when the
light ray PQ hits the prism at X. [2 marks]

(iv) Copy the diagram and on it, draw the path of the ray of light QX as it hits the face BC of
the prism and emerges out of it. [2 marks]

(v) Determine the angle that the emerging ray makes with the normal. [2 marks]

(vi) With the help of a ray diagram, state whether the image of an object placed on the left
hand side of the figure and viewed by looking from the right at face BC, would appear
inverted or the right way up. [2 marks]

(May 2010 no. 13(b))

23. A man sets up a projector to view some holiday slides. The slides are 40 mm wide and 25 mm
long. A screen is placed 4.6 m away from the projector lens. The image observed is magnified
33 times on a screen.

(a) Calculate the area of the image on the screen. [2 marks]

(b) Find the focal length of the projector lens. [3 marks]

(September 2010 no. 9)

24. (a) By using a ray diagram, explain what is meant by a real image. Your diagram must show
the passage, through a converging lens, of two rays originating from a point object which
is not on the principal axis.
[2 marks]
 (b) A point source of light is placed 45 cm from a thin converging lens of focal length 20 cm,
as shown in the figure below:

Calculate the distance of the image from the lens, stating the nature of the image formed.
[3 marks]
(May 2011 no. 3)
25. A student performs an experiment to measure the focal length of a converging lens. During the
experiment, a series of object and image distances (u and v) are measured. The student draws
a graph as shown in the figure below:

(a) If the lens equation used was = + and both 𝑢 and 𝑣 were taken as positive,
show how the graph can be used to find the value of the focal length. [3 marks]

(b) Hence, use the graph to find the focal length of the lens. [2 marks]

(May 2012 no. 10)

26. A standard “35-mm” slide measures 24.0 mm by 36.0 mm. Suppose a slide projector produces
60.0 cm by 90.0 cm image of the slide on a screen. The focal length of the converging lens in
the projector is 12.0 cm.
(a) Calculate the magnification of the lens.
(b) If 𝑢 and 𝑣 are the object and image distances respectively, use your answer to part (a)
to write down an expression for 𝑣 in terms of 𝑢.
(c) Calculate the distance between the slide and the lens.
[2, 1, 2 marks]
(May 2013 no. 6)
27. (a) A new company is claiming that it is able to produce smartphone touchscreen glass from
sapphire that has a refractive index of 1.77. In an experiment using sapphire glass, a ray
of light from a laser is directed on the glass as shown in the figure below. Light emitted
from a laser is monochromatic.

(i) Give the meaning of the term monochromatic. [2 marks]

(ii) If the incident light used were not monochromatic, what difference would this have
on the refracted and emergent rays? Assume that the incident ray still hits the glass
at the same angle of incidence as shown above. [3 marks]

(iii) Use the data in the figure above to calculate the angle that the incident ray makes
with the normal. [3 marks]

(iv) Calculate the critical angle for the sapphire glass-air boundary. [2 marks]

(b) A small pin that is used to secure the leather band to a wrist watch is held 4.5 cm under
a magnifying glass. The pin is 15 mm high and the image produced is 60 mm high.
(i) Draw a ray diagram to represent the arrangement of the lens, pin and its image.
Clearly indicate the position of the object, image and focal points of the lens.
[3 marks]
(ii) Is the image produced real or virtual? [1 mark]
(iii) Calculate the magnification of the lens in this configuration. [1 mark]
(iv) Calculate the focal length of the lens. [3 marks]
(May 2014 no. 13)
28. The figure below shows a section of an optical fibre made from a glass core of refractive index
1.47. It is surrounded by cladding made of a different type of glass. Light incident at an angle
𝑖 at one end, is refracted, hits the core-cladding boundary at an angle 𝜃, and is totally internally
reflected.
 (a) Two different types of glass, A and B, can be used for the cladding material. A has a
refractive index of 1.45 and B has a refractive index of 1.49. Which of these would be fit for
use in this optical fibre? Give a reason for your answer.

(b) Given that 𝜃 is equal to 820, find the value of 𝑖, the angle of incidence.
[2, 3 marks]
(May 2015 no. 9)
29. (a) Two parallel sided slabs A and B, made from transparent material are placed one on top
of the other as shown in the figure below:

A red laser beam is incident on slab A making an angle of 350 with the horizontal. The
ray passes through the layers A and B. The angle of refraction is equal to 280 in material
A, and is 260 in material B.
(i) Draw a clear ray diagram that shows the incident, the reflected and the refracted
light rays. Include values for the angle of incidence and the angles of refraction in
a and B. Assume no reflection takes place at the upper face of slab A and at the
interface between slabs A and B.

(ii) Which material has the larger refractive index? Explain your answer.

(iii) Calculate the refractive index of transparent layer A. [2, 3, 2 marks]

(b) The figure below shows a cross-sectional view of a right angled isosceles prism with light
falling normally on it.

(i) Copy the diagram and assuming total internal reflection, show how the light ray
behaves after entering the prism, indicating its path after it leaves the prism.

(ii) Through what angle is the light ray rotated because of passing through the prism?

(iii) What is the angle of incidence at the face AB? Explain your answer.
 (iv) Draw another diagram to compliment the one in part (i), showing how the ray can
be made to move in the same direction and parallel to the original path, by using a
second similar right angled isosceles prism in combination with the first.

[2, 1, 1, 2 marks]
(c) A convex lens has a focal length of 12 cm. An object of height 3 cm is placed at a distance
of 8 cm away from the lens.
(i) Calculate the height of the image produced by the lens.
(ii) What happens to the height of the image if the object is moved to a distance of 24
cm from the lens? Explain your answer, stating whether the image should keep the
same height, or is longer or shorter than the image in (i).
[3, 2 marks]
(May 2016 no. 12)
30. (a) An incident ray of light hits one face of a right-angled prism. The ray follows the path
shown in the figure below.

Assume that the prism has a refractive index of 1.5 and that the angle 𝜃 is 600.
(i) Calculate the angle of refraction at X? Explain your answer. [2 marks]

(ii) Calculate the angle of incidence at Y, inside the prism. [2 marks]

(iii) Show that this ray would not undergo total internal reflection at Y, and hence the
need for the mirror. [2 marks]

(iv) Determine the angle that the emergent light ray makes with the normal at point Z.
[3 marks]
(b) The use of an insect viewer (shown in the Figure below)
 can be described by the equation,

1 1 1
− =
𝑢 2.5𝑢 5.50 cm

(i) Determine the object distance, 𝑢. [1 mark]

(ii) Calculate the image distance. [1 mark]
(iii) Determine the focal length of the lens. [1 mark]
(iv) Calculate the magnification of the lens. [1 mark]
(v) If the object height is 3 cm, draw a ray diagram, to scale,
to show the correct setup of the lens, object and the produced image. [3 marks]
(vi) State TWO characteristics of the image produced. [2 marks]
(May 2017 no. 10)
31. The figure below shows a ray of light undergoing total internal reflection.

(a) State ONE condition for total internal reflection to occur. [1 mark]
(b) What are angles X and Y called? [2 marks]
(c) Is angle X larger, smaller or equal to the critical angle of glass? Explain. [2 marks]
(d) State ONE practical application of total internal reflection. [1 mark]
(May 2018 no. 7)