LIGHT-REFLECTION AND REFRACTION

Light is a form of energy which enables us to see objects around us.

Luminous objects: The objects which emit their own light are called as luminous objects. eg: sun,stars,
electric tubelight.
Non-luminous objects: The objects which do not emit their own light but only reflect light which falls on
them are called nonluminous objects. Eg: moon, mirror.
Nature of light:
Light has a dual nature. Light exhibits the properties of both wave and particle depending on the
situation. There are two theories about nature of light:-
Wave theory: According to wave theory, light consist of electromagnetic waves which do not require
any material medium for the propagation
Particle theory : according to particle theory, light is composed of particles which travel in a straight line
at a very high speed.
Some phenomena of light can be explained only if light is considered to be made up of waves. Eg: the
phenomena of diffraction, interference, and polarisation of light. On the other hand,the phenomena of
reflection and refraction of light and casting of shadows can be explained only if light is thought to be
made up of particles.

REFLECTION OF LIGHT :
The process of sending back of light rays which falls on surface of an object is called reflection of light.
Silver metal is one of the best reflector of light.

Reflection of light from plane mirror :-

Laws of Reflection :-
1.The incident ray,reflected ray and normal lie on the same plane.
2. The angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection. (<i = <r)

Q- What happens when ray of light falls normally on the surface of mirror?
Ans- When a ray of light is incident normally on the surface of the mirror,then it is reflected back along
the same path because angle of incidence and angle of reflection for such a ray of light are equal to
zero.

REGULAR REFLECTION AND DIFFUSED REFLECTION OF LIGHT:-

REGULAR REFLECTION:
 In regular reflection,a parallel beam of incident light is reflected as a parallel beam in one
direction.It occurs from smooth surface like plane mirror or highly polished metal surface.
Images are formed by regular reflection of light

DIFFUSED REFLECTION:
  In diffused reflection,a parallel beam of incident light is reflected in different directions. Diffused
reflection takes place from rough surfaces like cardboard,table,chair,wall etc. No image is
formed.
Note:- The diffused reflection of light is not due to failure of law of reflection.It is due to irregularities in
the reflecting surface.

Real Image Virtual Image

1. The image that can be obtained on a 1.The image that can’t be obtained on a
screen is called Real Image. screen is called virtual image
2.Real image is formed when light rays 2. Virtual image is formed when light rays
actually meet after reflection from a only appear to meet but donot actually meet
mirror. after reflection from a mirror.
3. It is not an illusion. 3. it is just an illusion.
Eg: Images formed on cinema screen. Eg: Image of our face in plane mirror.

CHARACTERISTICS OF IMAGE FORMED BY PLANE MIRROR

1. The image formed by plane mirror is virtual and erect.

2. The size of image formed by plane mirror is equal to that of object.
3. The image formed in a plane mirror is at the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front
of mirror.
4. Image formed in a plane mirror is laterally inverted with respect to the object.

USES OF PLANE MIRROR:-

1. Plane mirrors are used as mirrors on our dressing tables and bathrooms.
2. Plane mirrors are fixed on the inside walls of certain shops(jewellery shop to make them look bigger)
3. Plane mirrors are used in making periscopes.

REFLECTION OF LIGHT FROM SPHERICAL MIRRORS:-

 A spherical mirror is that mirror whose reflecting surface is the part of a hollow sphere of glass.
 They are of two types
(a) Concave mirrors : A concave mirror is that spherical mirror in which the reflection takes place at
the bent in surface.
(b) Convex mirrors : A convex mirror is that spherical mirror in which the reflection takes place at
the bulging out surface.

Centre of curvature: It is the centre of the hollow sphere of glass of which the mirror is a part.
Radius of curvature: It is the radius of the hollow sphere of glass of which the mirror is a part.
Pole: The center of spherical mirror.
Principal Axis: The straight line passing through the centre of curvature and pole of a spherical
mirror.
Aperture : That portion of the mirror from which the reflection of light actually takes place.

Principal focus : The principal focus of a concave mirror is a point to which all the light rays which
are parallel to the axis,converge after reflection.
A concave mirror has a real focus.

Focal length: The focal length of a concave mirror is the distance between its pole and principal
focus.

Principal focus of convex

mirror : It is a point from
which a beam of light
rays,initially parallel to the
axis,appears to diverge after being reflected from the convex mirror.
A convex mirror has a virtual focus.

Relation between radius of curvature and focal length of a spherical mirror

f = R/2 f – focal length R- radius of curvature

Uses of concave mirror:

1. Concave mirrors are used as shaving mirrors to see a large image of our face.
2.It is used as reflectors in torches,vehicles headlights.
 3. Large concave mirrors are used in the field of solar energy to focus sun rays for heating solar
furnance.

Uses of convex mirror:

1. Convex mirrors are used as rear view mirrors in vehicles.
2. Big convex mirrors are used as shop security mirror.

Q- Why is convex mirror used as rear view mirror?

Ans- Convex mirrors are commonly used as rear-view mirrors in vehicles because they give an erect,
virtual, full size diminished image of distant objects with a wider field of view. Thus, convex
mirrors enable the driver to view much larger area than would be possible with a plane mirror.

SIGN CONVENTION FOR SPHERICAL MIRRORS:

 Object distance(u) is always negative.

 Image distance(v) is positive if image is formed behind the mirror i.e v is +ve for virtual and erect
images.
 Image distance(v) is negative if image is formed in front of the mirror i.e v is –ve for real and
inverted images.
 Focus of concave mirror is on left side. Focal length is negative for concave mirror.
 Focus of concave mirror is on left side. Focal length is negative for concave mirror.
 Focus of convex mirror is on right side. Focal length is positive for convex mirror.
 Height of object is always positive
 Height of all virtual and erect images is +ve
 Height of all real and inverted images is –ve

MIRROR FORMULA :
Mirror formula gives the relationship between image distance(v),object distance(u),and focal length (f)
of a spherical mirror.
1/v + 1/u = 1/f

LINEAR MAGNIFICATION (m) :

Linear magnification is the ratio of height of the image to the height of the object.

m = height of image /height of object = hi/ho

The linear magnification is also equal to the ratio of the image distance to the object distance with a
minus sign.

m = - v/u

hi/ho = - v/u
REFRACTION OF LIGHT :-
The bending of light whenever it passes from one medium to another medium is called refraction of
light.
The refraction of light takes place at the boundary between two media.

In refraction of light the angle of incidence is

usually not equal to the angle of refraction.

CAUSE OF REFRACTION OF LIGHT:

The refraction of light is due to the change in speed of light on going from one medium to another.
Greater the difference in speed of light to the new medium,greater will be the amount of refraction of
light.

OPTICALLY RARER MEDIUM: A medium in which the speed of light is more. Eg: air is optically rarer as
compared to glass and water.
OPTICALLY DENSER MEDIUM: A medium in which the speed of light is Less. Eg: glass is optically denser
as compared to air and water.

RULES FOR REFRACTION OF LIGHT :-

1. Whenever a ray of light passes from rarer to denser medium, it bends towards the normal.

2.Whenever a ray of light passes from denser to rarer medium,it moves away from the normal.

REFRACTION OF LIGHT THROUGH A GLASS SLAB

<i = angle of incidence <r =angle of refraction

The angle which the emergent ray makes with the normal is known as angle of emergence(<e)
The perpendicular distance between the original path of incident ray and emergent ray coming out of
the glass slab is called lateral displacement.
Lateral Displacement depends mainly on 3 factors :-
(i) Angleof incidence : lateral displacement is directly proportional to the angle of incidence. If <i
increases the lateral displacement also increases.
(ii) Thickness of glass slab : lateral displacement is directly proportional to the thickness of glass slab.
(iii)Refractive index : lateral displacement is directly proportional to the Refractive index.

Note: If incident ray falls normally to the surface of glass slab,then there is no bending of light ray,and it
goes straight.

Effects of refraction of light:-

 A stick partially immersed in water appears to be bend at the water surface.
 An object placed under water appears to be raised.
 A pool of water appears to be less deep then it actually is due to refraction of light.

LAWS OF REFRACTION OF LIGHT:-

1.The incident ray,refracted ray and the normal at the point of incidence,all lie in the same plane.
2.The ratio of sin of angle of incidence to the sin of angle of refraction is always equal to a constant.

Sin i = constant
Sin r
This constant is known as refractive index denoted by n .This law is known as Snell’s law.
Refractive index of a medium is a measure of light bending ability of that medium.

When light is going from vaccum/air to another medium,then the value of refractive index is called
Absolute refractive index. It is simply represented as nm. If c is the speed of light in air and v is the speed
of light in the medium, then the refractive index of the medium n m is given by
speed of light ∈air c
nm = speed of light ∈the medium =v

When light is going from one medium(other than vaccum or air)to another medium,then the value of
refractive index is called relative refractive index.

The refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium 1, n21 ,is given by
speed of light ∈ medium1 v1
n21 = speed of light ∈medium 2 =v 2

The refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2, n12 , is given by

speed of light ∈medium 2 v2
n12 = speed of light ∈ medium1 =v 1

Refractive index depends on the nature of material of the medium and on the wavelength of the light
used.
More the difference in the refractive index,more is the bending of light.

Uses of Convex lens:-

1. Convex lens is used in magnifying glass
2. Convex lens is used in spectacles to correct the defect of vision called hypermetropia.
3.Convex lens is used in making microscope,telescope and slide projectors.

Uses of concave lens:-

1. In spectacles to correct the defect of vision called Mypoia.
2. In wide-angle spy-hole doors.
3. As eye lens in Galilean telescope.
SIGN CONVENTION FOR SPHERICAL LENSES :-

 Focal length of convex lens is always positive.

 Focal length of concave lens is always negative.
 Object distance (u) is always taken negative
 Image distance(v) is positive for real and inverted image.
 Image distance (v) is negative for virtual and erect image
 Height of image is negative for real and inverted image.
 Height of image is positive for virtual and erect image.
 Height of object is always positive.

LENS FORMULA:-
A formula which gives the relationship between image distance(v),object distance(u) and focal length(f)
of a lens is known as lens formula.
1
f
= 1v - 1u
Magnification produced by lenses (m) :-
The linear magnification is the ratio of height of image to the height of object.
hi
m= ho

The linear magnification by a lens is equal to the ratio of image distance to the object distance.
v
m= u

hi v
ho = u

 m will be positive for virtual and erect images.

 m will be negative for real and inverted images.

POWER OF A LENS :-
The power of a lens is a measure of degree of convergence or divergence of light rays falling on it.
The power of a lens is defined as the reciprocal of its focal length in metres.

1 100
P= f (¿ metres) P= f (¿ cm)

The unit of power is Dioptre(D).

Q-Define 1 Dioptre
Ans- 1 Dioptre is defined as the power of lens whose focal length is 1m.

Power of combination of lenses:-

If a number of lenses are placed in close contact with each other,then the power of combination of
lenses is equal to the algebraic sum of power of individual lenses.
P = P1 + P2 + P3 + ….

Note: The individual powers P1,P2,P3 etc of the lenses should be put in the above formula with their
proper signs.