Physics

RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS

Board Questions
(First pdf)
3 marks
1. A point source in air is kept 24 cm in front of a concave spherical glass surface
(ₐµg=1.5) and radius of curvature 60 cm. Find the nature of the image formed and
its distance from the point source.

2. Explain with the help of a suitable diagram, the phenomenon on which an

optical fibre works. Mention any two uses of optical fibres.

3. (a) A parallel beam of light of wavelength 600 nm is incident normally on a slit

of width 0.2 mm. If the resulting diffraction pattern observed on a screen 1 m
away, find the distance of

(i) first minimum, and

(ii) second maximum, from the central maximum.

OR

(b) A thin equiconvex lens of radius of curvature R made of material of refactive

index µ1 is kept coaxially, in contact with an equiconcave lens of the same radius
of curvature and refractive index µ2 (>µ1).

Find:

(i) the ratio of their powers, and

(ii) the power of the combination and its nature.

4. (a) (i) Monochromatic light is incident on a surface separating two media. The
frequency of the light after refraction remains unaffected but its wavelength
changes. Why?

(ii) The frequency of an electromagnetic radiation is 1.0 × 10^11 Hz. Identify the
radiation and mention its uses.

OR

(b) (i) Trace the path of a ray of light PQ which is incident at an angle I on one face
of a glass prism of angle A. It then emerges out from the other face at an angle
through which the ray is deviated is given by angle δ = angle i + angle e- angle a.

(ii) What will be the minimum value of delta if the ray passes symmetrically
through the prism?

(Second pdf)

1 marks

1. Larger aperture of objective lens in an astronomical telescope

(A) increases the resolving power of telescope

(B) decreases the brightness of the image

(C) increases the size of the image

(D) decreases the length of the telescope

2. A biconvex lens of glass having refractive index 1.47 is immersed in a liquid. It

becomes visible and behaves as a plane glass plate. The refractive index of the
liquid is

(A) 1.47 (B) 1.62 (C)1.33 (D) 1.51

3. For a glass prism, the angle of minimum deviation will be smallest for the light
of

(A) red colour (B) blue colour (C) yellow colour (D) green colour
4. A ray of light on passing through an equilateral glass prism, suffers a minimum
deviation equal to the angle of the prism. The value of refractive index of the
material of the prism is __________.

2 marks

1. Using lens maker’s formula, derive the thin lens formula 1/f = 1/v - 1/u for a
biconvex lens.

5 marks

1. (a) Draw the ray diagram of an astronomical telescope when the final image is
formed at infinity. Write the expression for the resolving power of the telescope.

(b) An astronomical telescope has an objective lens of focal length 20 m and

eyepiece of focal length 1 cm.

(i) Find the angular magnification of the telescope.

(ii) If this telescope is used to view the Moon, find the diameter of the image
formed by the objective lens. Given the diameter of the Moon is 3.5 × 10⁶ m and
radius of lunar orbit is 3.8 × 10⁸ m.

OR

(a) An object is placed in front of a concave mirror. It is observed that a virtual

image is formed. Draw the ray diagram to show the image formation and hence
derive the mirror equation 1/f = 1/u + 1/v.

(b) An object is placed 30 cm in front of a plano-convex lens with its spherical

surface of radius of curvature 20 cm. If the refractive index of the material of the
lens is 1.5, find the position and nature of the image formed.

(Third pdf)

1 marks

1. What is the speed of light in a denser medium of polarizing angle 30 ̊?

2 marks

1. Calculate the radius of curvature of an equi-concave lens of refractive index 1.5,

when it is kept in a medium of refractive index 1.4, to have a power of -5D?

OR

An equilateral glass prism has a refractive index 1.6 in air. Calculate the angle of
minimum deviation of the prism, when kept in a medium of refractive index
4√2/5.

3 marks

1. Draw a labeled ray diagram of an astronomical telescope in the near point

adjustment position.

A giant refracting telescope at an observatory has an objective lens of focal length

15 m and an eyepiece of focal length 1.0 cm. If this telescope is used to view the
Moon, find the diameter of the image of the Moon formed by the objective lens.
The diameter of the Moon is 3.48 × 10⁸ m.

5 marks

1. (a) Under what conditions is the phenomenon of total internal reflection of

light observed? Obtain the relation between the critical angle of incidence and
the refractive index of the medium.

(b) 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.
(Fourth pdf)

1 marks

1. A ray of monochromatic light propagating in air, is incident on the surface of

water. Which of the following will be the same for the reflected and refracted
rays?

(a) Energy carried (b) Speed (c) Frequency (d) Wavelength

2. A ray of light of wavelength 600 nm propagates from air into a medium. If its
wavelength in the medium becomes 400 nm, the refractive index of the medium
is

(a) 1.4 (b) 1.5 (c) 1.6 (d) 1.8

2 marks

1. A point object in air is placed symmetrically at a distance of 60 cm in front of a

concave spherical surface of refractive index 1.5. If the radius of curvature of the
surface is 20 cm, find the position of the image formed.

3 marks
1. A ray of light is incident on a glass prism of refractive index µ and refracting
angle A. If it just suffers total internal reflection at the other face, obtain a relation
between the angle of incidence, angle of prism and critical angle.

5 marks

1. A concave mirror of focal length 12 cm forms a three times magnified virtual

image of an object. Find the distance of the object from the mirror.

OR

(i) Draw a labelled ray diagram showing the image formation by a refracting
telescope. Define its magnifying power. Write two limitations of a refracting
telescope over a reflecting telescope.

(ii) The focal lengths of the objective and the eye-piece of a compound
microscope are 1.0 cm and 2.5 cm respectively. Find the tube length of the
microscope for obtaining a magnification of 300.

(Fifth pdf)

1 marks

1. The focal lengths of the objective and the eyepiece of a compound microscope
are 1 cm and 2 cm respectively. If the tube length of the microscope is 10 cm, the
magnification obtained by the microscope for most suitable viewing by relaxed
eye is:

(A) 250 (B) 200 (C) 150 (D) 125

2. A point object is kept 60 cm in front of a spherical convex surface (n=1.5, radius

of curvature 40 cm). The image formed is

(A) real, at a distance 1.8 m from the surface

(B) virtual, at a distance 1.8 m from the surface

(C) real, at a distance 3.6 m from the surface

(D) virtual, at a distance 3.6 m from the surface

2 marks

1. A thin converging lens of focal length 10 cm is placed coaxially in contact with a

thin diverging lens of focal length 15 cm. How will the combination behave?
Justify your answer.

Case based questions

1. A prism is an optical medium bounded by three refracting plane surfaces. A ray

of light suffers successive refractions on passing through its two surfaces and
deviates by a certain angle from its original path. The refractive index of the
material of the prism is given by µ= sin (A + δ m/2)/ sin A/2. If the angle of
incidence on the second surface is greater than an angle called critical angle, the
ray will not be refracted from the second surface and is totally internally
reflected.

(i) The critical angle for glass is θ ₁ and that for water is θ ₂. The critical angle for
glass- water surface would be (given ₐµg=1.5, ₐµw=1.33)

(A) less than θ₂ (B) between θ₁ and θ₂ (C) greater than θ₂ (D) less than θ₁

(ii) When a ray of light of wavelength λ and frequency ν is refracted into a denser
medium

(A) λ and ν both increase

(B) λ increases but ν is unchanged

(C) λ decreases but ν is unchanged

(D) λ and ν both decrease

(iii) (a) The critical angle for a ray of light passing from glass to water is minimum
for

(A) red colour (B) blue colour (C) yellow colour (D) violet colour
 OR

(iii) Three beams of red, yellow and violet colours are passed through a prism, one
by one under the same condition. When the prism is in the position of minimum
deviation, the angles of refraction from the second surface are rR, rY and rV
respectively. Then

(A) rV<rY<rR (B) rY<rR<rV (C) rR<rY<rV (D) rR=rY=Rv

(iv) A ray of light is incident normally on a prism ABC of refractive index √2, as
shown in the figure. After it strikes face AC, it will

(A) go straight undeviated

(B) just graze along the face AC

(C) refract and go out of the prism

(D) undergo total internal reflection

5 marks

1. An object is placed between the pole and the focus of a concave mirror. Using
mirror formula, prove mathematically that it produces a virtual and an enlarged
image.