RAY OPTICS

1. A converging lens of refractive index 1.5 is kept in a liquid medium having same
refractive index. What would be the focal length of the lens in this medium?
Answer:
The lens in the liquid will act like a plane sheet of glass
∴ Its focal length will be infinite (∞)

2. How does the power of a convex lens vary, if the incident red light is replaced by violet
light?
Answer:
According to Lens Maker’s formula

∴ power of the lens will be increased.

3. Why does the bluish colour predominate in a clear sky?
Answer:
Blue colour of the sky : The scattering of light by the atmosphere is a colour dependent.
According to Rayleigh’s law, the intensity of scattered light I∝1/λ4, blue light is scattered
much more strongly than red light. Therefore, the colour of sky becomes blue. The blue
component of light is proportionately more in the light coming from different parts of the
sky. This gives the impression of the blue skY.
4. How does the angle of minimum deviation of a glass prism of refractive index 1.5
change, if it is immersed in a liquid of refractive index 1.3?
Answer:
 Hence angle of deviation is decreased.
5. Two thin lenses of power + 4D and – 2D are in contact. What is the focal length of the
combination?
Answer:

6. Two thin lenses of power + 6D and – 2D are in contact. What is the focal length of the
combination?
Answer:

7. Calculate the speed of light in a medium whose critical angle is 30°. (Delhi 2010)
Answer:

∴ Speed of light, v = 1.5 × 108 ms-1

8. For the same value of angle of incidence, the angles of refraction in three media A, B and
C are 15°, 25° and 35° respectively. In which medium would the velocity of light be
minimum?
Answer:
 ∴ Velocity of light is minimum in medium A.
9. Two thin lenses of power -4D and 2D are placed in contact coaxially. Find the focal
length of the combination.
Answer:
Power of combination = – 4D + 2D = – 2D

∴ Focal length, f = – 50 cm

10.
Two thin lenses of power -2D and 2D are placed in contact coaxially. What is the focal
length of the combination?
Answer:
Power of combination = -2D + 2D = 0

11. Write the relationship between angle of incidence ‘i’, angle of prism ‘A’ and angle of
minimum deviation for a triangular prism.
Answer:

where [δm is angle of minimum deviation]

12. f the wavelength of light incident on a convex lens is increased, how will its focal length
change? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:

13. A biconvex lens made of a transparent material of refractive index 1.25 is immersed in
water of refractive index 1.33. Will the lens behave as a converging or a diverging lens?
Give reason. (All India 2014)
Answer:
The lens will behave as a diverging lens, because -1)
 The value of (µ – 1) is negative and ‘f’ will be negative.
14. A biconvex lens made of a transparent material of refractive index 1.5 is immersed in
water of refractive index 1.33. Will the lens behave as a converging or a diverging lens?
Give reason.
Answer:
The lens will behave as a converging lens because

Hence value of ‘f’ will be positive.

Draw a ray diagram of a reflecting type telescope. State two advantages of this telescope over a
refracting telescope. (Delhi 2008)
Answer:

(ii) Advantages of reflecting telescope over a refracting telescope:

1. Due to large aperture of the mirror used, the reflecting telescopes have high
resolving power.
2. This type of telescope is free from chromatic aberration (formation of coloured
image of a white object).
3. The use of paraboloidal mirror reduces the spherical aberration (formation of non-
point, blurred image of a point object).
4. Image formed by reflecting telescope is brighter than refracting telescope.
5. A lens of large aperture tends to be very heavy and therefore difficult to make and
support by its edges. On the other hand, a mirror of equivalent optical quality
weights less and can be supported over its entire back surface.
 15. Draw a ray diagram of an astronomical telescope in the normal adjustment position. State
two drawbacks of this type of telescope.
Answer:
(i) Magnifying power m = −f0fe. It does not change with increase of aperature of
objective lens, because focal length of a lens has no concern with the aperature of lens.

(ii) Drawbacks :

Images formed by these telescopes have chromatic aberrations.

Lesser resolving power.

The image formed is inverted and faintes.

16. A ray of light passing through an equilateral triangular glass prism from air undergoes
minimum deviation when angle of incidence is 3/4th of the angle of prism. Calculate the
speed of light in the prism. (Delhi 2008)
Answer:
17. Calculate the distance of an object of height h from a concave mirror of focal length 10
cm, so as to obtain a real image of magnification 2.
Answer:
Given : f = -10 cm; Magnification, m = 2
 To calculate : u = ?

18. The radii of curvature of the faces of a double convex lens are 10 cm and 15 cm. If focal
length of the lens is 12 cm, find the refractive index of the material of the lens.
Answer:
Given : R1 = 10 cm,
R2 = -15 cm,
f = 12 cm
Using lens maker’s formula, we have

Refractive index of the material of the lens :

19. A biconvex lens has a focal length 2/3 times the radius of curvature of either surface.
Calculate the refractive index of lens material.
 Answer:

20. Find the radius of curvature of the convex surface of a plano-convex lens, whose focal
length is 0.3 m and the refractive index of the material of the lens is 1.5.
Answer:

∴ Radius of curvature = -15 cm.

21. A ray of light, incident on an equilateral glass prism (µg = 3–√ ) moves parallel to the
base line of the prism inside it. Find the angle of incidence for this ray.
Answer:
22. A ray of light passes through an equilateral prism in such a way that the angle of
incidence is equal to the angle of emergence and each of these angles is 3/4 times the
angle of the prism. Determine
(i) the angle of deviation and
(ii) the refractive index of the prism.

We know, that δ + A = i + e
=> δ = z + e – A
∴ 8 = 45° + 45° – 60° = 30°
(i) angle of deviation = 30°

23. A convex lens of focal length 20 cm is placed coaxially with a convex mirror of radius of
curvature 20 cm. The two are kept at 15 cm from each other. A point object lies 60 cm in
front of the convex lens. Draw a ray diagram to show the formation of the image by the
combination. Determine the nature and position of the image formed.
Answer:
 The image I1 is formed behind the mirror and acts as a virtual object for the convex
mirror; and finally image I2 is formed, which is virtual between focus and pole of mirror.

24. A convex lens of focal length 20 cm is placed coaxially with a concave mirror of focal
length 10 cm at a distance of 50 cm apart from each other. A beam of light coming
parallel to the principal axis is incident on the convex lens. Find the position of the final
image formed by this combination. Draw the ray diagram showing the formation of the
image.
Answer:
Final image is real and lies between F and C of concave mirror.