Tuition Classes X (CBSE) Module-I

CHAPTER - 02
LIGHT - REFLECTION AND REFRACTION

Light : The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible or light is an electromagnetic
radiation that can be detected by the human eye.
A Ray : The path along which light travels is called a ray. They are represented by straight lines with
arrows directed towards the direction of travel of light.
A Beam : A bundle of rays is called a beam.
A Pencil : A narrow beam is called a pencil of light.
Object : An object is a source of light rays that are incident on an optical element.
Image : An image is the point of convergence or apparent point of divergence of rays after they interact
with a given optical element.
Real Image : Real images are formed when the reflected or refracted rays actually meet or converge
to a point. A real image can be captured on a screen.

Virtual image : When light rays, after interacting with optical element, the rays do not meet at a point
but appear to emanate from a point, then a virtual image is formed.
Reflection of light
The phenomenon of bouncing back of light in to the same medium or the phenomenon of change
in the path of light without any change in medium.

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Incident Ray : Ray which falls on the surface is called incident ray.
Reflected Ray : Ray which goes back after reflection is called reflected ray.
Angle of incidence : The angle between incident ray and normal.
Angle of Reflection : The angle between reflected ray and normal

Laws of Reflection
(i) The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
(ii) The incident ray, the normal to the mirror at the point of incidence and the reflected ray all lie in
the same plane.
These laws of reflection are applicable to all types of reflecting surfaces including spherical
surfaces.
Plane mirror
In the plane mirror, the reflecting surface is plane.
Characteristics of Image formed by a plane mirror
1) It is of the same size as that of the object
2) It is at same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front of it.
3) It is laterally inverted
4) It is virtual and erect

Spherical mirrors
A mirror whose reflecting surface is a part of a hollow sphere of glass is known as spherical
mirror. The reflecting surface of a spherical mirror may be curved inwards or outwards. These are
of two types concave and convex.
Concave mirror : A spherical mirror, whose reflecting surface is curved inwards, that is faces
towards the centre of the sphere, is called a concave mirror.

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Convex mirror : A spherical mirror whose reflecting surface is curved outwards, is called a convex
mirror.

Some terms related to spherical mirror

(i) Pole : The central point of a mirror (p)
(ii) Centre of curvature : The centre of the sphere of which the mirror is a part is called centre of
curvature (c)
(iii) Radius of curvature : The radius of the sphere of which the mirror is a part is called radius of
curvature (R)
(iv) Principal axis : A straight line joining the pole and the centre of curvature is called the principal
axis.

(v) Principal focus

(i) Focus of a concave mirror : A parallel beam of light after reflection from a concave mirror
converges at a point on the principle axis of the mirror. This point (F) is the principal focus of the
concave mirror and it is real.
(ii) Focus of a convex mirror : A parallel beam of light after reflection from a convex surface
diverges and the rays do not meet. However on producing backward, the rays appear to meet at a
point on the principle axis behind the mirror. This point is called principle focus of a convex mirror
and it is virtual.

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(vi) Focal length : The distance between the pole and the focus is called focal length (f). For
spherical mirrors of small apertures, the radius of curvature is found to be equal to twice the focal
length. R= 2f. The principle focus of a spherical mirror lies midway between pole and centre of
curvature.
(vii) Aperture : The diameter of the reflecting surface of spherical mirrors is called its aperture.
Image formation of spherical mirrors
Special rays for formation of image
(i) A ray parallel to the principle axis, after reflection, will pass through the principal focus in case of a
concave mirror or appear to diverge from the principal focus in case of a convex mirror. This is
illustrated in figure.

(i)

(ii) A ray passing through the principal focus of a concave mirror or a ray which is directed towards
the principal focus of a convex mirror, after reflection, will emerge parallel to the principal axis. This
is illustrated in figure.

(ii)

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(iii) A ray passing through the centre of curvature of a concave mirror or directed in the direction of the
centre of curvature of a convex mirror, after reflection, is reflected back along the same path. This is
illustrated in figure. The light rays come back along the same path because the incident rays fall on the
mirror along the normal to the reflecting surface.

(iii)

(iv) A ray incident obliquely to the principal axis, towards a point P (pole of the mirror), on the concave
mirror or a convex mirror is reflected obliquely. The incident and reflected rays follow the laws of
reflection at the point of incidence (point P), making equal angles with the principal axis.

(iv)

I. Image formation by concave mirror

The position, size and nature of the image formed by a concave mirror depends up on the distance
of the object from the pole of the mirror.
(i) Object at infinity

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(ii) Object beyond C

(iii) Object at C

(iv) Object in between C and F

(v) Object at F

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(vi) Object in between F and P

For a concave mirror, the position and nature of image formed is summerised in the table.

So a concave mirror gives both real and virtual image of a real object.
Uses of concave mirror
(i) They are used as shaving mirrors
(ii) They are used as reflectors in car head lights, search lights, torches and table lamps
(iii) They are used by doctors to concentrate light on body parts like ears and eyes which are to be
examined.
(iv) Large concave mirrors are used in the field of solar energy to focus sun rays on the objects to
be heated
II. Image formation by a convex mirror
The position, size and nature of the image formed by a convex mirror depends up on the distance
of the object from the pole of the mirror.
(i) Object at infinity

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(ii) Object in between infinity and pole

For a convex mirror, the position and nature of image formed is summarised in the table.

A convex mirror gives only a virtual image for real object

Uses of convex mirrors

(i) used as real view mirror in automobiles

(ii) used in street lamps

Sign convention for measuring distance in concave and convex mirror

1) All distances are measured from the pole

2) The incident ray is taken from left to right

3) Distance measured in the same direction as that of the incident ray are taken to be positive

4) Distances measured in a direction opposite to the incident ray are taken to be -ve

5) Distances measured upwards and perpendicular to principal axis are taken +ve
6) Distances measured downward and perpendicular to principal axis are taken -ve
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Mirror formula
The mirror formula is a relation relating the object distance (u), the image distance (v) and the focal
length (f) of a mirror.

1 1 1
The mirror formula is  
u v f
Above equation is known as mirror formula and is valid for both concave and convex mirrors.
However, the quantities must be substituted with proper signs.
Focal length of concave mirror is -ve
Focal length of convex mirror is +ve
For real image v is -ve
For virtual image v is +ve
Magnification
It is the comparison between size of image and size of object.
The linear magnification of a spherical mirror is the ratio of height of the image (h2)| formed by the
mirror to the height of the object (h1) ie,

Height of image h 2
M 
Height of object h1

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The linear magnification is a number that simply tells us how much taller the image is than the
object. For example,
If m = 1, it means that the image and the object are of the same height.
Another formula for magnification is

v f
m 
u f u
The arbitrary minus sign given to linear magnification has nothing to do with the relative sizes of the
object and the image but we can use it to tell whether the image is erect or inverted w.r.t object.
For virtual image m is +ve
For real image m is -ve
Refraction of Light
When light travels in the same homogenous medium it travels along a straight path. The phenomenon
of the change in the path of the light as it passes from one medium to another medium is called
refraction of light.
The path along which the light travels in the first medium is called incident ray and that in the second
medium is called refracted ray. The angle which the incident ray and the refracted ray make with the
normal at the surface of separation are called angle of incidence (i) and angle of refraction (r)
respectively.

Cause of Refraction
A medium is a transparent material through which light is transmitted. Every transparent medium has
a property known as optical density. The optical density of a transparent medium is closely related to
the speed of light in the medium. If the optical density of a transparent medium is low, then the speed
of light in that medium is high such a medium is known as optically rarer medium.
Optically rarer medium : A medium in which speed of light is more is known as optically rarer medium.
On the other hand, if the optical density of a transparent medium is high, then the speed of light in that
medium is low. Such as medium is known as optically denser medium.
Optically denser medium : A medium in which speed of light is less.
Eg. Speed of light in air is more than the speed of light in water, so air is optically rarer medium as

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compared to the water. In otherwards, water is optically denser medium as compared to air.
Thus, a ray of light travelling from rarer medium to denser medium slows down and bends towards
the normal. When it travels from a denser medium to rarer medium it speeds up and bends away
from the normal.
Refractive Index
It represents the amount or extent of bending of light when it passes from one medium to another.
Refractive index of a medium is defined as the factor by which speed of light reduces as compared to
the speed of light in vacuum. [It is the property of the medium]

c speed of light in vacuum

n 
v speed of light in medium
More refractive index implies less speed of light in that medium, which therefore is called denser
medium.
Less refractive index implies more speed of light in that medium, which therefore is called rarer medium.
Refractive index of a medium with respect to vacuum is also called absolute refractive index.
When light travels from medium (1) to medium (2), then refractive index of medium (2) with respect to
medium (1) is called its relative refractive index.

n 2 v1 speed of light in medium1

n 21   
n1 v 2 speed of light in medium 2

R.I of medium 2
n 21 
R.I of medium1
The refractive index of medium (1) with respect to medium (2) is represented as n12
n1 v 2
n12  
n 2 v1
Absolute refractive index of some material media

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Laws of Refraction
The following are the laws of refraction of light.
(i) The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal to the interface of two transparent media at the
point of incidence, all lie in the same plane.
(ii) The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a constant, for the light of
a given colour and for the given pair of media. This law is also known as Snell’s law of refraction. (This
is true for angle 0 < i < 90o)
If i is the angle of incidence and r is the angle of refraction, then,

sini
=constant
sinr
This constant value is called the refractive index of the second medium with respect to the first.
Refraction through a Rectangular glass slab

The light ray at point O has entered from a rarer medium to a denser medium, that is from air to glass.
At O' , the light ray has entered from glass to air, that is from denser medium to a rarer medium. We e
can observe that the emergent ray is parallel to the direction of the incident ray. This is because the
extent of bending of the ray of light at the opposite parallel faces AB and CD is equal and opposite.
Spherical lenses
A lens is a piece of transparent refracting material bounded by two spherical surfaces or one spherical
and other plane surface.
A lens is the most important optical components used in microscopes, telescopes, cameras, projectors.
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Double convex lens or converging lens

A lens may have two spherical surfaces, bulging outwards. Such a lens is called a double convex
lens. It is simply called a convex lens. It is thicker at the middle as compared to the edges.
Double concave lens or diverging lens
A double concave lens is bounded by two spherical surfaces curved inwards. It is thicker at the edges
than at the middle.
Centre of curvature : The centres of two spheres, of which lens part is called the centre of curvature.
Radii of curvature : The radii of spheres, of which lens is part
Principal axis : The line joining the centres of curvature of two surfaces of lens is called principal axis.
Optical centre : It is a special part on the principal axis. Light incident on the optical centre passes
through the lens without deviation.
Principal focus
(i) Principal focus of a convex lens

When rays of light parallel to the principal axis are falling on a convex lens, after refraction from the
lens are converging to a point on the principal axis. This point on the principal axis is called the principal
focus of the convex lens.
(ii) Principal focus of a concave lens

When rays of light parallel to the principal axis are falling on a concave lens, after refraction from the
lens are appearing to diverge from a point on the principal axis. This point on the principal axis is called
the principal focus of the concave lens.
A lens has two principal foci on either side of the lens. They are represented by F1 and F2.

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Focal length : The distance of the principal focus from the optical centre of a lens is called its focal
length (f).
Image formation by Lenses
Special rays for image formation by lens.

(i)

A ray of light from the object, parallel to the principal axis, after refraction from a convex lens, passes
through the principal focus on the other side of the lens, as shown in fig (a). In case of a concave lens,
the ray appears to diverge from the principal focus located on the same side of the lens, as shown in
fig.(b)

(ii)

A ray of light passing through a principal focus, after refraction from a convex lens, will emerge parallel
to the principal axis. This is shown in fig.(a). A ray of light appearing to meet at the principal focus of a
concave lens, after refraction, will emerge parallel to the principal axis. This is shown in fig.(b).

(iii)

A ray of light passing through the optical centre of a lens will emerge without any deviation. This is
illustrated in fig.(a) and fig. (b).

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(I) Convex lens

The position, size and nature of the image formed by convex lens depends up on the distance of
the object from the optical centre of the lens.
(i) Object at infinity

(ii) Object beyond 2F

(iii) Object at 2F

(iv) Object in between 2F and F

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(v) Object at Focus (F)

(vi) Object in between focus and optic centre

The nature, position and relative size of the image formed by convex lens for various positions of the
object is summerised in table.
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(II) Concave lens

(i) Object at infinity

(ii) Object in between optic centre and infinity

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Sign convention for spherical lenses

(i) All distances are measured from optical centre
(ii) The distances measured in the direction of incident ray are taken as positive and distances measured
against the direction of incident ray are taken as negative.
(iii) All distances above principal axis are taken as positive and those below the principal axis are taken
as negative.
Lens formula
Relation between object distance(u), image distance (v) and focal length (f)
1 1 1
 
v u f
Magnification
It is defined as the ratio of the height of the image and the height of the object.
height of the image h /
m 
height of the object h

h/ v
m 
h u
If m is +ve, image is virtual and erect
If m is -ve, image is real and inverted
Power of a Lens
It is the measure of deviation produced by a lens.The degree of convergence or divergence of light
rays achieved by a lens is expressed in terms of its power. The power of a lens is defined as the
reciprocal of this focal length.
1
p
f
SI unit of power of lens is ‘dioptre’
If f is expressed in metres, then power is expressed in dioptres
Power of convex lens is +ve
Power of concave lens is -ve
If two thin lenses are placed in contact, the combination has a power equal to the algebraic sum of the
power of two lenses, P = P1 + P2 and

1 1 1
 
f f1 f 2

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QUESTIONS
1. For a concave mirror when the object is placed between the pole and the focus then the image formed
will be
A) Virtual B) Real C) Inverted D) Diminished

2. When an object is moved towards the plane mirror

A) Image moves away from the object B) Size of the image increases

C) Image moves closer to the object D) Size of the image decreases

3. David is observing his image in a plane mirror. The distance between the mirror and his image is 5m.
If he moves 1m towards the mirror, then the distance between David and his image will be

A) 3m B) 5m C) 6m D) 8m

4. The phenomenon of the change in the path of the light as it passes from one optical medium to
another is called

A) Reflection of light B) Refraction of light C) Dispersion of light D) Both A and B

5. An image formed by a lens is erect. Such an image could be formed by a

A) convex lens provided the image is smaller than object

B) concave lens provided the image is smaller than object

C) concave lens provided the image is larger than object

D) concave lens provided the image is of the same size

6. The ray of light moving from an optically rarer to denser medium

A) Bends away from the normal

B) Bends towards the normal

C) Remains un-deviated

D) none of these

7. Mirror used to form magnified image is

A) concave mirror B) convex mirror C) plane mirror D) none of these

8. Ray of light passing through optical centre of a thin lens

A) remains undeflected

B) is parallel to the principal axis

C) passes through the centre of curvature

D) is reflected back

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9. A ray of light parallel to the floor strikes a plane mirror. Which is inclined at an angle 40° as shown in
figure. What is the angle of reflection?

A) 40° B) 80° C) 50° D) 90°

10. What is the angle of incidence of a ray if the reflected ray is at an angle of 90° to the incident ray?

A) 60° B) 45° C) 90° D) 180°

11. An object is placed at 100 mm in front of a concave mirror which produces an upright image (erect
image). The radius of curvature of the mirror is

A) Less than 100mm B) Between 100mm and 200mm

C) Exactly 200mm D) More than 200mm

12. A concave mirror produces a magnification of +4. The object is placed

A) At the focus B) Between focus and centre of curvature

C) Between focus and pole d) Beyond the centre of curvature

13. When white light moves through vacuum

A) Violet has greater speed than red B) Red has greater speed than violet

C) All colours have the same speed D) Different colours have different random speeds

14. When a biconvex lens of glass having refractive index 1.47 is dipped in a liquid, it acts as a plane
sheet of glass. This implies that the liquid must have refractive index

A) equal to that of glass B) less than one

C) greater than that of glass D) less than that of glass

15. Find the angle of reflection

A) 50° B) 30° C) 40° D) 60°

16. The magnitude of radius of curvature of a concave mirror is 10cm. The focal length of concave mirror
is
A) –5 cm B) 5 cm C) 20cm D) both A & B
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17. When an object is placed in front of a concave mirror the image is formed at the same point where
object is kept. The position of image is
A) at C B) beyond C C) At F D) At infinity
18. Which of the following is used as shaving mirror
A) convex mirror B) plane mirror
C) concave mirror D) parabolic mirror
19. What is the nature of the image formed by a concave mirror when the object is placed between F & P
A) real and magnified B) real and diminished
C) virtual and magnified D) virtual and diminished
20. You are provided with a concave mirror a convex mirror a concave lens and a convex lens. To obtain
an enlarged image of an object you can use either
A) concave mirror or convex mirror B) concave mirror or convex lens
C) concave mirror or concave lens D) concave lens or convex lens
21. The linear magnification for a mirror is the ratio of the size of the image to the size of the object, and is
denoted by m. Then m is equal to (symbols have their usual meanings) :

uf u f
A) B) C) D) None of these
uf uf uf

 4
22. A convex mirror of focal length f (in air) is immersed in a liquid     . The focal length of the mirror
 3
in liquid will be:

3 4 7

A)   f B)   f C) f D)   f
4 3 3
23. Two thin lenses of focal lengths 20 cm and 25 cm are placed in contact. The effective power of the
combination is :

1
A) diopters B) 45 diopters
9
C) 6 diopters D) 9 diopters
24. Match the following :
Column I Column II
a) Convex mirror, real object p. Real image
b) Concave mirror, real object q. Virtual image
c) Concave lens, real object r. Magnified image
d) Convex lens, real object s. Diminished image
A) (a) - q, s ; (b) - p, q, s ; (c) - q, r ; (d) - p, q, r, s
B) (a) - q ; (b) - p, q, s ; (c) - q, r ; (d) - p, q, r
C) (a) - s ; (b) - p, q, s ; (c) - q, s ; (d) - p, q, r, s
D) (a) - q, s ; (b) - p, q, r, s ; (c) - q, s ; (d) - p, q, r, s

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25. The relation among u, v and f for a mirror is :

A) f = uv/(u + v) B) v = fu(u + f) C) u = fv (f + v) D) all of these
26. After refraction of light through a glass slab, incident ray and refracted are :
A) perpendicular B) parallel C) in a straight line D) A and C
27. The ability of a lens to converge or diverge light rays depends on :
A) principal axis B) focal length C) object distance D) image distance
28. Find the wrong statement related to convex lens :
A) Two spherical surfaces bulging outward
B) Converging lens
C) Positive focal length
D) Image is always virtual and diminished
29. If speed of light travelling from air to a medium decreases by 40%, find the refractive index of the
medium with respect to air :
A) 2.5 B) 1.67 C) 1.3 D) 1.25
30. You are provided with a concave lens having focal length 15 cm. If it diminishes the image by one-
third, calculate the distance of image from lens?
A) 5 cm B) 10 cm C) 5m D) 10 m

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