CHAPTER – 10

LIGHT-REFLECTION
& REFRACTION
Light is a form of energy, which enable us to see the object.
In this chapter we will study the phenomena of reflection and refraction using
the property of light i.e. straight line propagation (Light wave travel from one
point to another, along a straight line).
Reflection of Light
When the light is allowed to fall on highly polished surface, such as mirror, most of
the light gets reflected. normal
Laws of Reflection
1. The angle of incidence is always equal to
Reflected
angle of reflection. ray
Incident
i= r ray
ir
2. The incident ray, reflected ray and the
normal to the reflecting surface at the
point of incidence lie in the same plane. Points of incidences
Image formed by Plane Mirror (Plane reflecting surface)
Plane Mirror

A A1

Obje ct Image

i 1
B r B

1) Virtual (imaginary) & Erect (Virtual The image that do not form on screen.)
2) Laterally inverted (The left side of object appear on right side of image)
3) The size of image is equal to that of object

4. The image formed is as for behind the mirror as the object is in front of it.
Reflection of light by spherical Mirrors
Mirrors, whose reflecting surface are curved inward or outward spherically are called spherical mirror.
For example - Spoon } The curved surface of shinning spoon can be considered as curved mirror.
If it is curved inward Act as concave mirror If it is curved outward
Act as a convex mirror.

Reflecting side
Reflecting side

Concave Mirror Convex mirror

OR CONVERGING MIRROR OR DIVERGING MIRROR

Few Basic terms related to Spherical Mirror

Radius of curvature
Principal R Concave
Axis P Mirror
C F f
focal length

Principal Axis
 Radius of curvature
R
P f F C
focal length
Convex
Mirror
1. Principal axis : Line joining the pole and centre of curvature of the
spherical mirror.
2. Pole : The geometrical central point of the reflecting spherical surface.
(aperture), denoted by (P).
3. Aperture : The width of reflecting spherical surface.
4. Centre of curvature : The reflecting surface of a spherical mirror form a
part of sphere. It has a centre, which is known as centre of curvature,
denoted by (C)
5. Radius of curvature : The separation between the pole and the centre of
curvature. ie. PC =
6. Focus point : The point on the principal axis, where all parallel rays meet
after reflection, denoted by (F)
7. Focal length : The length between the pole and focus point i.e.PF =
8. Relationship between focal length and Radius of curvature.
F= R2
Image formation by spherical Mirror
Before we learn the formation of image or ray diagram, let us go through few tips
a) Remember, A say of light which is parallel to principle axis always pass
through focus (meet at focus) or vice-versa

P
Principal C P
Principal Axis
C F
F Axis CONCAVE
CONCAVE MIRROR
MIRROR

Principal
F C
P Axis
CONVEX MIRROR
Appear as if coming
from focus pt in case of convex mirror
 Principal Axis P F C

b) A ray of light which passes through centre of curvature (it is also known as
normal at the point of incidence on spherical mirror) will retrace their path
after reflection

Pole (P)
Principal C F CONCAVE
Axis MIRROR

P
Principal F
Axis C CONVEX
MIRROR

c) A ray of light falling on pole get reflected at the same angle on the other
side of principal axis.

i P i= r
r
C
F

i =r
i
r F C
Note : A ray of light passes through centre of cus-valerie reflecting spherical
surface is always act as normal at the point of incidence. If we know the normal
we can draw angle of incidence and angle of reflection

ir

P
C F

r
i

P F C

Note : The image will only form when two or more rays meets at apoint. Image
formation by a concave mirror for different position of the object

1. Object Position of Nature

At infinity Image Real and
P At focus Inverted
C F Size of
Image
Highly
diminished (point
size)

2. Object A Position of Nature

Beyond C Image Real and
object
B1 i P Between Inverted
B Cimage F r
F&C
A1
Size of
Image
Small
3. Object Position of Nature
At C A Image Real and
At C Inverted
B1 B P
F Size of
Image
A
Same Size
of object
4. Object i= r
A
Between C&F
Object Position of Nature
B1
B i P Image Real and
r Inverted
C F Beyond C
Image
Size of Image
A1 Enlarged

5. Object i= r
At F A Position of Nature
Image Real and
B i P At (infinity) Inverted
r
C F Size of Image
Highly enlarged
A1

6. Object
Between F&P A
(Special Case)
i P
B r B1
C F Position of Image Nature
Behind the Virtual
mirror and
Erect
Size of Image
Enlarged

Image formation by Convex Mirror

1. Object
At infinity P
F C

Position of Image Size of Image Nature

At focus Highly diminished Virtual & erect
1. Object
Anywhere between
infinity and pole A
of the mirror A1
P
B B1
F

Position of Image
Between P & F Size of Image Nature
Very small Virtual &
erect
Uses of Concave Mirror
1. Used in torches, search light and headlight of vehicle.
2. Used to see large image of face as shaving mirror
3. Used by dentist to see large images of the teeth
4. Large concave mirror used to focus sunlight (heat) in solar furnaces.
Uses of Convex Mirror
1. Used as rear-view mirror in vehicles because it gives erect image. It also
helps the driver to view large area.
Sign Convention for Reflection by Spherical Mirror
1. The object is always placed to the left side of mirror.
2. All distance should be measured from pole (P); parallel to principal axis.
3. Take 'P' as origin. Distances measured
Right of the origin (+ x - Axis) are taken positive
Left of the origin (– x-Axis) are taken negative
Perpendicular to and above principal axis (+y-Axis) are taken positive
Perpendicular to and below principal axis (–y-Axis) are taken negative
+y

o (Cartesian system)
–x +x

–y

MIRROR FORMULA
f distance between F and Pole
1 = 1 + 1
Fvu v distance of image from Pole
u distance of object from Pole
where f = R R distance between centre of curvature and pole.
2
MAGNIFICATION
It is expressed as the ratio of the height of the image to height of the object
height of image h1
m= = 1
height of object h
It is also related to 'u' and 'v'
–
v 2
m= u
 from 1 and 2 equation
1
h1 – v where h image height from principle axis
m =h =u h
1 Object height from principle axis.
 It magnitude m > 1 Image is magnified
m=1 Image is of same
size m < 1 Image is

Few tips to remember sign convention for Spherical mirror

Real - negative
Object
height
h always positive | Image
height
h1
}Virtual - positive
Object distance from pole u is always negative

Image distance from pole v Real - Image always negative

}Virtual
Image
- always positive

Focal length
f Concave mirror – always negative
Convex mirror – always positive
 REFRACTION OF LIGHT
Refraction of Light : Happens in Transparent medium when a light travels
from one medium to another, refraction takes place.
A ray of light bends as it moves from one medium to another medium.
Refraction is due to change in the speed of light as it enters from one transparent
medium to another.
Speed of light decreases as the beam of light travel from rarer medium to the
denser medium.

normal normal

Incident Denser medium

Raver medium
Ray

Denser medium Rarer medium

Refracted Ray
When ray travel from Rarer to Denser it bends When ray travel from denser
towards normal after refraction to rarer medium it bends away
from normal

Some Commonly observed phenomenon due to Refraction

1. The stone at the bottom of water tub appear to be raised.
2. A fish kept in aquarium appear to be bigger than its actual size.
3. A pencil partially immersed in water appears to be displaced at the
interface of air and water.
Refraction through a Rectangular Glass Slab
A
Incident ray N
i
1
Air (Rarer Medium)
K
O L

r1

Glass
2i N
1
(Denser
Medium)
N M
1
O
Here light ray changes is e Air (Rarer Medium)
1
direction at O and O ,
the point at the interface
(Refracted Ray)
of transparent medium. C
B
When a incident ray of light AO passes from a rarer medium (air) to a denser
medium (glass) at point. O on interface AB, it will bends towards the normal.
1
At pt O , on interface DC the light ray entered from denser medium (glass) to
1
rarer medium (air) here the light ray will bend away from normal OO is a
refracted ray OB is an emergent ray. If the incident ray is extended to C, we
1
will observe that emergent ray O B is parallel to incident ray. The ray will
slightly displaced laterally after refraction.
Note : When a ray of light is incident normally to the interface of two media it
will go straight, without any deviation.
Laws of refraction of light-
1. 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.
2. The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a
constant ie.
Sin i constant
Sin r =(r)

for given colour and pair of media, this law is also known as Snells Law
Constant n is the refractive index for a given pair of medium. It is the refractive
index of the second medium with respect to first medium.

Sin i n2 Where 2 is for second

Sin r = n 1 = n21 medium and 1 is for first
medium

Refractive Index
The refractive index of glass with respect is air is given by ratio of speed of
light in air to the speed of light in glass.

nga = ng Speed of light in air c

= =
na Speed of light in glass v
8
C Speed of light in vacuum = 3 10 m/s
speed of light in air is marginally less, compared to that in vacuum.
Refractive index of air with respect to glass is given by
a air na Speed of light in glass v
(
g glass )nag =
ng
=
Speed of light in air
=
c
The absolute refractive index of a medium is simply called refractive index
Speed of light in air c
nm =
Speed of light in the medium = v
Refractive index of water (nw) = 1.33
Refractive index of glass (ng) = 1.52
Spherical Lens
A transparent material bound by two surface, of which one or both surfaces are
spherical, forms a lens.
CONVEX LENS
A lens may have two spherical surfaces, bulging outwards, is
called double convex lens (or simply convex lens.
It is also known as converging lens because it converges the light.
CONCAVE LENS
A lens bounded by two spherical surfaces, curved inwards is
known as double concave lens (or simply concave lens)
It is also known as diverging lens because it diverges the light.
Few Basic Terms related to spherical lens.

R
Principal f Convex
Axis O Lens
C1 F1 F2C2
or (2F1) or (2F2)
Optical
centre (O)

R
Principal Optical centre (O) Concave
Axis Lens
C1 F1 O F2 C2
f

C1OC2
1. Centre of curvature - A lens, either a convex lens or a concave lens has
two spherical surfaces. Each of these surfaces form a part of sphere. The
centre of these two spheres are called centre of curvature represented by C1
and C2.
2. Principal axis - Imaginary straight line passing through the two centres of
curvature
3. Optical Centre - The central point of lens is its optical centre (O). A ray of
light, when passes through 'O' it remains undeviated i.e. it goes straight.
4. Aperture - The effective diameter of the circular outline of a spherical lens.
5. Focus of lens - Beam of light parallel is principal axis, after refraction from
1) Convex lens, converge to the point on principal axis, denoted by F,
known as Principal focus

Principal Axis
F1 O
F2

2) Concave lens, appear to diverge from a point on the principal axis, known
as principal focus.

Principal
F1 O Axis
F2

The distance OF2 and OF1 is called as focal length

Tips for drawing Ray diagram
a) After refraction, a ray parallel to principal axis will pass through F.

Principal
Axis
F1 O F2 F1 O F2

(Converge) (Diverge)
b) A ray passes through F, after refraction will emerge parallel to principal axis.

F2 F1 F2
Principal Axis Principal
F1 Axis
O O

c) A ray passes through optical centre 'O', paeses without any deviation.

Principal
F1 O F2 Axis
F1 O F2

Image formation by a convex lens for various position of object

1. Object Position of Image Nature
At Real &
At focus
infinity
F2 inverted
Size of Image
F1 F2 2F2 Highly
2F1
diminished
(point size)

2. Object
Beyond 2F1
Position of Image Nature
A
Between F2 & 2F2 Real &
inverted
1 Size of Image
B
B 2F1 F1 O Small
2F2
F2
1
A
3. Object
At 2F1
A
Position of Image Nature
B
1
At 2F2 Real &
B2F F 2F
F inverted
1 1
O
2 2 Size of Image
Same size
of
1
A

object
4. Object Position of Image Nature
Between F1 & 2F1 Beyond 2F2 Real &
A inverted
Size of Image
Enlarged
B 1
2F1 F1 O 2F2 B
F2

1
A
5. Object
At focus F1 Position of Image Nature
at infinity Real &
A inverted
Size of Image
B Highly Enlarged
2F1 F1 O F22F2

6. (Special Case) Size of Image Nature

Object A
1
Enlarged Virtual &
Between F1 and Erect
A
optical centre 'O'
1
Position of Image B O 2F2
2F1
On the same F1
side of the B F2
object

Image formation by concave lens

1. Object Position of Image Nature
Alt infinity At F1 Virtual &
Size of Image Erect
Highly
Diminished
2F1 F1 O F2 2F2
2. Object Position of Image Nature
Between infinity Between F1 & O Virtual
and optical centre & Erect
(at any point) Size of Image
A
Very small
A
B
2F1 F1 B F2 2F2
O

Sign Convention for Refraction by spherical lens

Similar to that of spherical mirror, only the difference is that all the
measurement are made from optical centre 'O'
+ y-axis

o
– x-axis + x-axis

– y-axis

LENS FORMULA

'O' optical centre

111 –
= f - distance between F and 'O'
fvu
u - distance of object from 'O'
f=R v - distance of image from 'O'
2 r - distance between centre
of curvature & 'O'
MAGNIFICATION
It is defined as the ratio of the height of image to the height of object.

height of h 1
m= = = from principal axis
image height h 1
hh–1 –object
imageheight

}
of object
from principal axis
It is also related to 'u' & 'v'
m= v 2
u
 From equation 1 & 2
1

m=h =v u
h
If magnitude of m > | Image is magnified
m=1 Image is of same size
m<| Image is deminished
Few tips to remember sign convention for spherical lens
Object height h is always positive
Image height h1 Real is always negative
Virtual is always positive
Object distance from optical centre
u is always negative
Image distance from optical centre Real positive
v
}virtual negative
Focal length Convex lens is always positive
v
}Concave lens is always negative
Power of Lens
The degree of convergence or divergence of light ray achieved by a lens is
known as power of a lens.
It is difined as the reciprocal of its focal length Represented by P
It f is given in meter, then
P=1
f= 1 f
f It f is given in cm, then
P = 100
f

SI unit of power of a lens is "dioptre" denoted by 'D'

I dioptre or ID It is the power of lens whose focal length is 1m

ID = 1 OR
1m ID =
–1
1m
Power convex lens or converging lens is always positive

f is +ve
O F2

Power of concave lens or diverging lens is always negative

f is –ve
F1 O

If any optical instrument have many lens, then net power will be

P = P1 + P2 +

EXERCISE
(Question Bank)
Very Short Answers Type Questions (1 Mark)
1. If the angle of incidence is O°, what is the angle of reflection?
2. What is the nature of image formed by concave mirror if the
magnification produced by the mirror is +3?
3. Give two uses of concave mirror?
4. Find the focal length of a convex mirror, whose radius of curvature is 30 cm?
5. What do you understand by magnification of a spherical mirror?
6. An object is held at the principal focus of a concave lens of focal length f.
Where the image will form?
7. Show the angle of incidence and angle of refection.

8. Complete the ray diagram.

2F1 F1 O F2 2F2

9. Define the SI unit of power of lens.

10. When light undergoes refraction at the surface of seperation of two media,
what happens to speed of light.
Short Answer Type Questions (2-3 Marks)
1. What do you understand by refraction of light. Draw the labelled ray
diagram, when ray passes through glass slab.
8
2. The refractive index of glass is 1.54 and the speed of light in air is 3x10
m/s. Calculate the speed of light in water?
3. A convex mirror used on an automobile has a focal length of 6m. If
vehicle behind is at a distance of 12m. Find the nature and location of
image.
(4m, virtual erect small)
4. A concave lens of focal length 15cm, forms an image 10 cm from the
lens. How far is the object placed from the lens? Draw the ray diagram?
5. Two thin lens of power +3.5D and - 2.5D are placed in contact. Find the
power and focal length, if the lens are in combination. (p = + 10, f = 1m)
6. What are the law of refraction. Define refractive index of a medium.
Very Long Answer Type Questions (5 Marks)
1. Draw the ray diagram, showing the image formed by concave mirror,
when object is placed at
a) at infinity b) between F22F
c) At 2F d) At F
e) between F&P
2. Draw the ray diagram, showing the image formed by convex lens, when
object is placed at.
a) At infinity b) between F1 & 2F1
c) At 2F1 d) Beyond 2F1
e) between F1 & optical centre 'O'