REFLECTION AND REFRACTION

1 Reflection and Refraction

2 Refractive index and optical density

3 Lens and Mirror – (Ray diagram + Uses )

4 Sign convention + Formulae
5 Numericals
REFLECTION OF LIGHT

The phenomenon of bouncing back of ray of light after falling on a polished surface
is known as reflection of light.
Normal Laws of Reflection

The angle of incidence (i) is equal to

Angle of Angle of
Incident Reflection
the angle of reflection (r).

Incident ray
i r Reflected ray The incident ray and the reflected ray
lie on the opposite sides of the normal.

Mirror
TYPES OF REFLECTION

Regular reflection Irregular reflection

Smooth Mirror Rough Surface

WHAT IS REFRACTION?

The bending of a ray of light when it enters from one medium to other is known as
refraction of light.
 LAWS OF REFRACTION
A Incident ray
N
1) Snell’s Law
The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to that of
sine of angle of refraction is always a constant
refraction of light. i
Air Boundary
sin i Glass O
= constant  n21
sin r
(Refractive index of 2nd medium w.r.t. r
medium 1st) B
Refracted ray
2) The incident Ray, Refracted Ray & Normal
always lie on the same plane
BENDING TENDENCY

Medium 1 is more Medium 1 is less Light travels fastest

optically dense optically dense in medium 1

Medium 1 Medium 1
Medium 2 Medium 2

away
towards
REFRACTION THROUGH GLASS SLAB

Refracted Ray

Incident Ray

Emergent Ray

Glass Slab

Torch
What is refractive index?

Angle of
Incidence ray

i
sin i
= n21
sin r
r
Angle of
Refracted ray
Refractive index and optical density of medium
Various formula of refractive index
LENSES AND MIRRORS

Plane Concave Convex Concave Convex

Mirror Mirror Mirror Lens Lens
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light which is parallel to the principle axis of a concave mirror,

passes through its focus after reflection from the mirror.

Incident Ray
A
Object

B F P

Reflected Ray
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light passing through the focus of a concave mirror, becomes

parallel to the principal axis after reflection.

A
Incident Ray
Object

B F P

Reflected Ray
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light which is incident at the pole of a concave mirror, is

reflected back making the same angle with the principal axis.

A Incident Ray

Object

B F P
Reflected Ray
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light passing through the centre of curvature of a concave mirror,

is reflected back along the same path.

A
Incident Ray
Object

B F P

Reflected Ray
RAY DIAGRAM – Concave Mirror
 OBJECT AT INFINITY
Case (i)
A

F P

Position of Image : At focus

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Highly diminished
 OBJECT BEHIND ‘C’
Case (ii)

A
B
B C F P
A

Position of Image : Between C and F

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Diminished
OBJECT AT ‘C’

Case (iii)
A
B
C B F P
A

Position of Image : At C

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Same size
OBJECT BETWEEN ‘C’ AND ‘F’

Case (iv)

A
B
C B F P

Position of Image : Beyond C

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Enlarged
 OBJECT AT ‘F’
Case (v)

A
B
C F P

Position of Image : At infinity

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Highly Enlarged
OBJECT BETWEEN ‘F’ AND ‘P’
Case (vi) A

C F B P B

Position of Image : Behind the mirror

Nature of Image : Virtual

Erect
Enlarged
RAY DIAGRAM – Convex Mirror
 RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light which is parallel to the principal axis of a convex mirror,

appears to diverge from the focus after reflection from the mirror.

A
Object
B P F
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray which is directed towards the principal focus of a convex mirror,

becomes parallel to the principal axis after reflection.
A

B P F
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light which is incident at the pole of a convex mirror, is reflected

back making the same angle with the principal axis.

i
r
B P F
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray directed in the direction of the centre of curvature of a convex

mirror, is reflected back along the same path.

B P F C
OBJECT AT INFINITY OF A CONVEX MIRROR
Case (i)
A

P F

B
Position of Image : At ‘F’ Behind the mirror

Nature of Image : Virtual

Erect
Highly diminished
OBJECT BETWEEN P & F BEHIND THE MIRROR
Case (ii)

A
A

B P B F

Position of Image : Between P & F

Nature of Image : Virtual

Erect
Diminished
Concave mirror -All 6 cases

Position of object Position of image Size of image Nature of image

At infinity At the focus F Point size Real & inverted

Beyond C Between F & C Diminished Real & inverted

At C At C Same Size Real & inverted

Between C and F Beyond C Enlarged Real & inverted

At F At infinity Highly Enlarged Real & inverted

Between P and F Behind the mirror Enlarged Virtual & erect

Image Formed by Plane Mirror
TYPES OF SPERICAL MIRRORS

Convex Concave

Diverging mirror Converging mirror

Uses of a concave mirror
Uses of a convex mirror
 LENS
A lens is a transparent medium bound by two spherical surfaces.

Converging Diverging

Real focus Virtual focus

 TYPES OF LENS

CONVERGING LENSES DIVERGING LENSES

Biconvex Plano convex Concavo – Convex Biconcave Plano concave Convexo – Concave
 COMMON TERMS R1 R2

Centre of curvature (C)

C1 C2
The centres of the spheres whose parts form surfaces of the lenses 2 1
are called centres of curvatures of the lenses. A lens with both
surfaces spherical, has two centres of curvature C1 and C2 S1 S2
Radii of curvature (R)
The radius of the spheres whose parts form surfaces of the lenses
are called radii of curvature of the lenses. A lens with both surfaces
spherical, has two radii of curvature R1 and R2 C1 C2
O
Principal axis
Principal axis
The imaginary line passing through both centres of S1 S2
curvature is called the principal axis of the lens.

Optical centre (O)

The point inside a lens on the principal axis, through
which light rays pass without changing their path is
called the optical centre of a lens.
 COMMON TERMS
Principal focus (F) Convex Lens
F2 O F1
When light rays parallel to the principal axis are incident on a
convex lens, they converge to a point on a principal axis. This
point is called the principal focus of the lens. f
F1 and F2 are the principal foci of the convex lens.
Concave Lens
When light rays parallel to the principal axis are incident on a
concave lens, they diverge and appear to be coming from a point on
the principal axis. This point is called the principal focus of the lens.
F1 O F2
F1 and F2 are the principal foci of the concave lens.

Focal length (f) : f

The distance between the optical centre and principal focus of a lens
is called its focal length.
RAY DIAGRAM

When the incident ray is parallel to the principal axis,

the refracted ray passes through the principal focus.

Incident ray
Refracted ray
F1 O F2
RAY DIAGRAM

When the incident ray passes through the principal focus,

the refracted ray is parallel to the principal axis.

Refracted ray

F1 O F2
Incident ray
RAY DIAGRAM

When the incident ray passes through the optical centre,

it passes without changing its direction.

Incident ray

F1 O F2
Refracted ray
RAY DIAGRAM – Convex Lens
 OBJECT AT INFINITY

1st CASE
A

2F1 F1 O F2 2F2

Position of Image : At focus

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Highly diminished
 OBJECT BEYOND 2F1
A
2nd CASE
B'
B 2F1 F1 O F2 2F2

A'

Position of Image : Between F2 and 2F2

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Diminished
 OBJECT AT 2F1

3rd CASE A

B B'
2F1 F1 O F2 2F2

A'

Position of Image : At 2F2

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Same size
 OBJECT BETWEEN F1 AND 2F1

4th CASE A

B'
2F1 B F1 O F2 2F2

A'

Position of Image : Beyond 2F2

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Enlarged
 OBJECT AT F1

5th CASE A

B
2F1 F1 O F2 2F2

Position of Image : At infinity

Nature of Image : Real

Inverted
Highly Enlarged
 Object between F1 and O
A'
6th CASE

2F1 B' F1 B O F2 2F2

Position of Image : Beyond 2F2

Nature of Image : Virtual

Erect
Enlarged
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light which is parallel to the principal axis of a concave lens,

appears to be coming from its focus after refraction through the lens.

2F1 F1 O F2 2F2
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light passing through the optical centre passes through the optical
centre undeviated.

2F1 F1 O F2 2F2
RAY DIAGRAM

A ray of light going towards the focus of a concave lens, becomes parallel
to its principal axis after refraction through the lens.

2F1 F1 O F2 2F2
BUS KARO MASTER..
RAY DIAGRAM – Concave Lens
OBJECT AT INFINITY

1st CASE A

2F1 F1 O F2 2F2

Position of Image : At focus

Nature of Image : Virtual

Erect
Highly Diminished
Any Position other than infinity

2nd CASE
A

A'

2F1 B F1 A' O F2 2F2

Position of Image : Between F1 & O

Nature of Image : Virtual

Erect
Diminished
 Convex lens- All 6 cases

Position of object Position of image Size of image Nature of image

At infinity At focus F2 Point image Real & inverted

At focus F1 At infinity Very large Real & inverted

Between F1 & 2F1 Beyond 2F2 Larger Real & inverted

Beyond 2F1 Between F2 & 2F2 Smaller Real & inverted

At 2F1 At 2F2 Same size Real & inverted

On the same side of

Between F1 and O Very large Virtual & erect
the lens as the object
Sign Convention