Class 10 Science

CHAPTER – 10 LIGHT REFLECTION & REFRACTION

Light:
1. Light is a form of energy that enables us to see things.
2. Light starts from a source and bounces off objects which are perceived by our
eyes and our brain processes this signal, which eventually enables us to see.

Nature of Light
Light behaves as a:

 ray, e.g. reflection

 wave, e.g. interference and diffraction
 particle, e.g. photoelectric effect

When light travels from one medium to another medium it either:

 gets absorbed (absorption)

 bounces back (reflection)
 passes through or bends (refraction)

REFLECTION

 Reflection of Light: The phenomenon of bouncing back of light into the same
medium by the smooth surface is called reflection.

 Incident light: Light which falls on the surface is called incident light.

 Reflected light: Light which goes back after reflection is called reflected light.

 The angle of incidence: The angle between the incident ray and the normal.

 An angle of reflection: The angle between the reflected ray and the normal.

 Mirror: The surface which can reflect the light is a mirror.

 Plane Mirror: If the reflecting surface is a plane then the mirror is plane.

 Rectilinear propagation of light: Light travels in a straight line between any

two points.
 Image formed by Plane Mirror (Plane reflecting surface)

1. Virtual (imaginary) & Erect: 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 far behind the mirror as the object is in front of it.

Real Image Virtual Image

Virtual images cannot be formed on the
Real image can be seen on the screen.
screen.

It is always inverted It is always erect.

It is formed when ray of light after It is formed when ray of light appear to
reflection/refraction meet at some point meet at a point.
It is formed due to actual intersection of light It is formed due to imaginary intersection of
ray. light ray
  Rectilinear propagation of light: Light travels in a straight line between any two
points.

Spherical Mirror:

If the reflecting surface is part of the hollow sphere then the mirror is a spherical
mirror.
The spherical mirror is of two types:
Convex mirror: In this mirror reflecting surface is convex. It diverges the light so it
is also called a diverging mirror.
Concave mirror: In this mirror reflecting surface is concave. It converges the light
so it is also called converging mirror.

Parameters of Mirror:

Centre of Curvature: The centre of hollow sphere of which mirror is a part.

The radius of curvature: The radius of hollow sphere of which mirror is a part.
Pole: The centre of mirror (middle point) is pole.
Principal axis: The line joining the pole and centre of curvature is called principal
axis.
Aperture: Size of mirror is called aperture of mirror.
Principal Focus: The point on the principal axis, where all the incident rays parallel
to principal axis converge or diverge after reflection through mirror.
Focal Length: The distance between pole and focus point is focal length.
Special Rays for Formation of Image:

1. A ray of light which is parallel to the principal axis of a spherical mirror,

after reflection converges or diverges from focus.
2. A ray of light passing through or appearing from the centre of curvature
of spherical mirror is reflected back along the same path.
3. A ray of light passing through or appearing from the focus of spherical
mirror becomes parallel to the principal axis.
4. A ray of light which is incident at the pole of a spherical mirror is
reflected back making same angle with principal axis.
5. Relationship between focal length and Radius of curvature.

F=R/2
Use of Concave Mirror: It is used as a makeup mirror, the reflector in torches, in
headlights of cars and searchlights, doctor’s head-mirrors, solar furnace, etc.
Use of Convex Mirror: Convex mirror used as rear view mirror in vehicles, as shop
security mirrors, etc.
Sign Conventions of Spherical Mirror

All the distances are measured from the pole of the mirror as the origin.
Distances measured in the direction of incident rays are taken as positive.
Distances measured opposite to the direction of incident rays are taken as negative.
Distances measured upward and perpendicular to the principal axis are taken as
positive.
Distances measured downward and perpendicular to the principal axis are taken as
negative.
Focal length of a concave mirror is taken as – ve. Focal length of a convex mirror is
taken as +ve.
Mirror Formula is :

Where f, v and u are focal length, image distance, and object distance respectively.
Linear Magnification:
This is the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the object.

Size of image can be found using the Magnification Formula

If m is -ve it is a real image and if it is +ve it is a virtual image.

REFRACTION
Refraction of Light: The bending of light at the interface of two different
mediums is called Refraction of light.
If the velocity of light in medium is more, then medium is called optical rarer.
Example, air or vacuum is more optical rarer.
If the velocity of light in medium is less, then medium is called optical denser.
Example, glass is more denser than air.
Refractive Index: It represents the amount or extent of bending of light when it
passes from one medium to another.
Note: There is a change in the wavelength of light when it moves from one medium
into another but the frequency remain unchanged.

There are two types of refractive index

1. Refractive index of a medium with respect to other medium is called Relative
Refractive Index.

Refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium 1 is

2. Refractive index of medium with respect to air or vacuum is called Absolute

Refractive Index.

Laws of Refraction
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 the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the 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.
The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a
constant, for the light of a given color and for the given pair of media. This law
is also known as Snell’s law of refraction.
Where:-
o n1 = refractive index of first medium
o n2 = refractive index of second
medium
o i = angle of incidence
o r = angle of refraction

Following Snell’s Law:

Light bends towards the normal when moving from rarer to denser medium at
the surface of the two media.
 Light bends away from the normal when moving from denser to rarer medium
at the surface of contact of the two media.
Refraction through a rectangular glass slab
When the light is incident on a rectangular glass slab, it emerges out parallel to the
incident ray and is laterally displaced. It moves from rarer to denser medium and
then again to the rarer medium.

Total internal reflection

When the light goes from a denser to a rarer medium it bends away from the
normal. The angle at which the incident ray causes the refracted ray to go along the
surface of the two media parallely is called critical angle.
Essential conditions for total internal reflection:
1. Light must travel from a denser medium to a rarer medium and
2. The angle of incidence inside the denser medium must be greater than the
critical angle.

Optical Fibres

Mirages

Spherical Lens
Lens: The transparent refracting
medium bounded by two surfaces in
which at least one surface is curved is
called lens.
Lenses are mainly two type

1. Concave lens: Diverging lens

2. Convex lens: Converging lens

 Optical Axis: The line passing through the optical centre and the centre of
curvature.
 Paraxial Ray: A ray close to principal axis and also parallel to it.
 Centre of curvature (C): The centres of the spheres that the spherical lens
was a part of. A spherical lens has two centres of curvatures.
 Radii of Curvature: The radii of spheres, of which lens is part is called radius
of curvature.
 Focus (F): It is the point on the axis of a lens to which parallel rays of light
converge or from which they appear to diverge after refraction.
 Focal length: Distance between optical centre and focus.
 Optical Centre: It is a special point on the principal axis. Light incident on the
optical centre lpasses through the lens without deviation.
Special Rays for Image Formation by Lens:

 An incident ray, parallel to the principal axis, after refraction passes through (or
appears to come from), second focus of the lens.
 An incident ray, passing through the optical centre of the lens, goes undeviated
from the lens.

 An incident ray, passing through the (first) principal focus of the lens, or
directed toward it, becomes parallel to the principal axis after refraction through
lens.

Sign Conventions of Lenses

 u is- ve, if the object is in front of the lens. (Real object)

 u is +ve, if the object is virtual.
 v is – ve, if the image is on the same side as that of the object. (Virtual image )
 v is +ve, if the image is real.
 Focal length of a concave lens is taken as – ve.
 Focal length of a convex lens is taken as +ve.
Lens formula

Where f, v and u are focal length, image distance, and object distance respectively.
Magnification of a Lens:
The ratio of the height of an image to the height of an object is defined as
magnification.
Magnification is represented by m, h0 is the height of the object and hi is the height of
the image.

Where, u is object distance, v is image distance and f is focal length.

Power of a Lens
Power of a lens is the reciprocal of its focal length i.e. 1/f (in metre).
The SI unit of power of a lens is dioptre (D). It is the power of lens whose focal
length is I m.
The greater the power of a lens, the greater is its ability to refract light that passes
through it.
For a converging lens (Convex Lens) the optical power is positive and for a
diverging lens (Concave Lens), it is negative.

Page Number: 168

Question 1.
Define principal focus of a concave mirror.
Answer.
It is a point on the principal axis at which parallel rays of light travelling close to
principal axis actually converge after reflection.

Question 2.
The radius of curvature of a spherical mirror is 20 cm. What is its focal length?
Answer.

Question 3.
Name a mirror that can give an erect and enlarged image of an object.
Answer.
Concave mirror

Question 4.
Why do we prefer a convex mirror as a rear-view mirror in vehicles? [2011, 2012]
Answer.
This is because a convex mirror forms diminished and erect images. It also provides
a wider view of the vehicle.
 Page Number: 171

Question 1.
Find the focal length of a concave mirror whose radius of curvature is 32 cm.
Answer.

Question 2.
A concave mirror produces three times magnified [enlarged] real image of an object
placed at 10 cm in front of it. Where is the image located?
Answer.
Given: u = -10 cm, m = -3 and v = ?

Page Number: 176

Question 1.
A ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely into water. Does the light ray bend
towards the normal or away from the normal? Why?
Answer.
The light ray bends towards the normal when it enters into water. Because water is
an optically denser medium.

Question 2.
Light enters from air to glass having refractive index 1.5. What is the speed of light
in the glass? The speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 108 m s-1.
Answer.
Given: refractive index, μ = 1.5, speed of light in vacuum
c = 3 x 108 m s-1 v = ?
Question 3.
Find out from Table 10.3 [NCERT] the medium having highest optical density. Also,
find the medium with lowest optical density.
Answer.
From Table 10.3, diamond has highest refractive index (n = 2.42). So it has highest
optical density.
Air has lowest refractive index [n = 1.0003]. So, it has lowest optical density.

Question 4.
You are given kerosene, turpentine and water. In which of these does the light travel
fastest? Use the information given in Table 10.3 [NCERT],
Answer.
The refractive index for:
kerosene = 1.44, turpentine = 1.47 and water = 1.33
Here, the refractive index of water is lowest, so this is an optically rarer medium than
kerosene and turpentine. So light travels fastest in water.

Question 5.
The refractive index of diamond is 2.42. What is the meaning of this statement?
Answer.
This means that the speed of light in air and that in diamond is equal to 2.42.

Page Number: 184

Question 1.
Define 1 dioptre power of a lens.
Answer.
1 dioptre is the power of a lens of focal length one metre.

Question 2.
A convex lens forms a real and inverted image of a needle at a distance of 50 cm
from it. Where is the needle placed in front of the convex lens if the image is equal
to the size of the object? Also, find the power of the lens.
Answer.
Given: v = 50 cm, u = ? P = ?
Since the image is equal to the size of the object, so the object is placed at a
distance twice the focal length of the lens, i.e.
-u = v = 2f= 50 cm
∴ u = -50 cm and f= 25 cm
Hence, the needle is placed at a distance of 50 cm in front of the lens.
Now power,
Question 3.
Find the power of a concave lens of focal length 2 m.
Answer.
Given: Focal length, f = -2 m = -200 cm
∴ Power,

EXERCISE

Question 1.
Which one of the following materials cannot be used to make a lens?
(a) Water
(b) Glass
(c) Plastic
(d) Clay
Answer.
(d) Clay

Question 2.
The image formed by a concave mirror is observed to be virtual, erect and larger
than the object. Where should be the position of the object?
(a) Between the principal focus and the centre of curvature
(b) At the centre of curvature
(c) Beyond the centre of curvature
(d) Between the pole of the mirror and its principal focus
Answer.
(d) etween the pole of the mirror and its principal focus

Question 3.
Where an object should be placed in front of a convex lens to get a real image of the
size of the object?
(a) At the principal focus of the lens
(b) At twice the focal length
(c) At infinity
(d) Between the optical centre of the lens- and its principal focus
Answer.
(b) At twice the focal length

Question 4.
A spherical mirror and a thin spherical lens have each a focal length of -15 cm. The
mirror and the lens are likely to be
(a) both concave
(b) both convex
(c) the mirror is concave and the lens is convex
(d) the mirror is convex and the lens is concave
Answer.
(a) both concave

Question 5.
No matter how far you stand from a mirror, your image appears erect. The mirror is
likely to be
(a) plane
(b) concave
(c) convex
(d) either plane or convex
Answer.
(d) either plane or convex

Question 6.
Which of the following lenses would you prefer to use while reading small letters
found in a dictionary?
(a) A convex lens of focal length 50 cm
(b) A concave lens of focal length 50 cm
(c) A convex lens of focal length 5 cm
(d) A concave lens of focal length 5 cm
Answer.
(c) A convex lens of focal length 5 cm

Question 7.
We wish to obtain an erect image of an object, using a concave mirror of focal
length 15 cm. What should be the range of distance of the object from the mirror?
What is the nature of the image? Is the image larger or smaller than the object?
Draw a ray diagram to show the image formation in this case.
Answer.
The range of distance of the object from the mirror should be between focus and
pole.
Image is virtual, erect and larger than the object. The ray diagram showing the
image formation
is given below.
Question 8.
Name the type of mirror used in the following situations:
(a) Headlight of a car
(b) Rear-view of a vehicle
(c) Solar furnace
Support your answer with reason.
Answer.
(a) Concave mirror, as it can give an inverted and enlarged image which meet at
infinity,
(b) Convex mirror, as it can give an erect and diminished image within the focal
length.
(c) Concave mirror, as it can converge all the parallel beam of light rays at one
point.

Question 9.
One-half of a convex lens is covered with a black paper. Will this lens produce a
complete image of the object? Verify your answer experimentally. Explain your
observation.
Answer.
Yes, it will produce a complete image of the object. This can be verified
experimentally as follows:
Procedure:

1. Take a metre scale and place it horizontally against a white or light coloured
wall with 0 cm end touching the wall.
2. Take a convex lens and focus the light from a distant object, say a tree, by
moving the lens to and fro along the metre scale.
3. A sharp image of the tree is formed on the wall at a distance equal to the focal
length of the lens.
4. Cover lower or upper half of the lens with black paper.
5. Again focus the light from the same tree on the wall.
A less bright image of the tree is formed on the wall from the same point on the
metre scale.

Observation: It is observed that when half of the lens is covered, its focal length
remains the same. Only the intensity of light entering the lens decreases due to
which the brightness of the image also decreases. Diagrammatically, it can be
represented as above.
Question 10.
An object 5 cm in length is held 25 cm away from a converging lens of focal length
10 cm. Draw the ray diagram and find the position, size and the nature of the image
formed.
Answer.
The ray diagram is shown below:
Question 11.
A concave lens of focal length 15 cm forms an image 10 cm from the lens. How far
is the object placed from the lens? Draw the ray diagram.
Answer.
The complete ray diagram is shown below:

Question 12.
An object is placed at a distance of 10 cm from a convex mirror of focal length 15
cm. Find the position and nature of the image.
Answer.
Given: u = -10 cm, f = 15 cm and v = ?

Hence, the image is formed behind the mirror. It is erect, virtual and smaller than the
object.
Question 13.
The magnification produced by a plane mirror is +1. What does this mean?
Answer.

∵
∴ h2 = h 1
Therefore, the size of image is equal to the size of object and positive sign shows
that the image is erect.

Question 14.
An object 5.0 cm in length is placed at a distance of 20 cm in front of a convex
mirror of radius of curvature 30 cm. Find the position of the image, its nature and
size.
Answer.
Given: h1 = 5.0 cm, u = -20 cm, R = 30 cm

Question 15.
An object of size 7.0 cm is placed at a distance of 27 cm in front of a concave mirror
of focal length 18 cm. At what distance from the mirror should a screen be placed,
so that a sharp focussed image can be obtained? Find the size and nature of the
image.
Answer.
Given: h1 = 7 cm, u = -27 cm, f = -18 cm,
v=?

Question 16.
Find the focal length of a lens of power -2.0 D. What type of lens is this?
Answer.
Given: P = -2.0 D, f = ?

Question 17.
A doctor has prescribed a corrective lens of power +1.5 D. Find the focal length of
the lens. Is the prescribed lens diverging or converging? [2012]
Answer.
Given: P = +1.5 D, f = ?∴
Focal length,

The prescribed lens is a converging lens because its focal length is positive.
 Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
Hold a highly polished steel spoon curved inwards close to your face and move it
slowly away from your face. What will you observe?
(a) Enlarged and erect image of your face
(b) Smaller and inverted image of your face
(c) Smaller and erect image of your face
(d) Enlarged and inverted image of your face
Answer:
(b) The inner curved surface of a highly polished steel spoon acts as a concave
mirror. When the spoon is at a small distance from the face such that, the object lies
between pole and focus of concave mirror, so an enlarged and erect image of your
face will be observed but as the spoon is slowly moved away from the face, the
image becomes smaller and appears inverted.

Question 2.
Which one of the following materials cannot be used to make a lens?
(a) Water
(b) Glass
(c) Plastic
(d) Clay
Answer:
(d) Clay can never be transparent, so it cannot be used to make lens.

Question 3.
No matter how far you stand from a mirror, your image appears erect. The mirror is
likely to be
(a) plane
(b) concave
(c) convex
(d) either plane or convex
Answer:
(d) Plane mirrors and convex mirrors always form the erect images.

Question 4.
The image formed by a concave mirror is observed to be virtual, erect and larger
than the object. Where should be the position of the object?
(a) Between principal focus and centre of curvature
(b) At centre of curvature
(c) Beyond centre of curvature
(d) Between pole of the mirror and its principal focus
Answer:
(d)
Question 5.
An object AB is placed in front of a convex lens at its centre of curvature as shown
in figure below.

Four students traced the path of light ray after refraction through the lens. Which
one of them is correct?

(a) Only I
(b) Only II
(c) Only III
(d) Only IV
Answer:
(d) When the object is placed at centre of curvature (2Fx) of convex lens, the same
sized image is formed at 2F2. The image formed is real and inverted.

Question 6.
A spherical mirror and a thin spherical lens have each of a focal length -15 cm. The
mirror and lens are likely to be
(a) both concave
(b) both convex
(c) mirror is concave and lens is convex
(d) mirror is convex and lens is concave
Answer:
(a) The focal length is taken as negative for both concave mirror and concave lens.

Question 7.
Which of the following can make a parallel beam of light when light from a point
source is incident on it?
(a) Concave mirror as well as convex lens
(b) Convex mirror as well as concave lens
(c) Two plane mirrors placed at 90° to each other
(d) Concave mirror as well as concave lens
Answer:
(a) A ray passing through the principal focus of a concave mirror or convex lens,
after reflection/refraction, will emerge parallel to the principal axis.

Question 8.
Under which of the following conditions, a concave mirror can form an image larger
than the actual object?
(a) When an object is kept at a distance equal to its radius of curvature
(b) When an object is kept at a distance less than its focal length
(c) When an object is placed between the focus and centre of curvature
(d) When an object is kept at a distance greater than its radius of curvature
Answer:
(c) A concave mirror can form an image enlarged, real and inverted than the actual
object, beyond centre of curvature (C) when object is placed between the focus (F)
and centre of curvature.

Question 9.
A light ray enters from medium A to medium Bas shown in the figure. The refractive
index of medium B relative to A will be

(a) greater than unity

(b) less than unity
(c) equal to unity
(d) zero

Answer:
(a) Since, light rays in the medium B goes towards normal. So, it has greater
refractive index and lesser velocity of light w.r.t. medium A. So, refractive index of
medium B w.r.t. medium A is greater than unity.
Question 10.
Figure shows a ray of light as it travels from medium A to medium B. Refractive
index of the medium B relative to medium A is

Answer:
(a) Given, angle of incidence, i = 60°, angle of refraction, r = 45°
Refractive index of the medium B relative to medium A,

Question 11.
Beams of light are incident through the holes A and B and emerge out of box
through the holes C – and D respectively, as Box shown in the figure.

Which of the following could be inside the box?

(a) A rectangular glass slab
(b) A convex lens
(c) A concave lens
(d) A prism
Answer:
(a) Here, the emergent rays are parallel to the direction of the incident ray.
Therefore, a rectangular glass slab could be inside the box as the extent of bending
of light ray at the opposite parallel faces AB (air-glass interface) and CD (glass-air
interface) of the rectangular glass slab are equal and opposite. This is why the ray
emerges parallel to the incident ray.

Question 12.
A beam of light is incident through the holes on side A and emerges out of the holes
on the other face of the box as shown in the figure. Which of the following could be
inside the box?

(a) Concave lens

(b) Rectangular glass slab
(c) Prism
(d) Convex lens
Answer:
(d) Since, in the figure all the parallel rays converge at a point. So, inside the box
there must be a convex lens.

Question 13.
Which of the following statement is true?
(a) A convex lens has 4D power having a focal length 0.25 m
(b) A convex lens has 4D power having a focal length -0.25 m
(c) A concave lens has 4D power having a focal length 0.25 m
(d) A concave lens has 4D power having a focal length -0.25 m
Answer:
(a) The power P of a lens of focal length f is given by
P = 1/f, where f is the focal length in metre and P is the power in dioptre.
P= 1/f or f = 1/P = 1/4 = 0.25 m

Question 14.
Magnification produced by a rear view mirror fitted in vehicles
(a) is less than one
(b) is more than one
(c) is equal to one
(d) can be more than or less than one depending upon the position of the object in
front of it.
Answer:
(a) The convex mirror forms virtual, erect and diminished image of the object and
rear view mirror also form same type of image. Therefore, magnification (m)
produced by a rear view mirror fitted in vehicles is less than one, i.e. m < 1.

Question 15.
Rays from the Sun converge at a point 15 cm in front of a concave mirror. Where an
object should be placed, so that size of its image is equal to the size of the object?
(a) 15 cm in front of the mirror
(b) 30 cm in front of the mirror
(c) between 15 cm and 30 cm in front of the mirror
(d) more than 30 cm in front of the mirror
Answer:
(b) The rays from the Sun, i.e. from infinity, are parallel to principal axis after
reflection converge at a point is known as focus. Therefore, focal length if) of
concave mirror is 15 cm. And we know that, same size, real and inverted image is
formed by concave mirror when object is placed at focus 2 A or centre of curvature,
so to form same size of image, object will be placed at 15 x 2 =30 cm.

Question 16.
The path of a ray of light coming from air passing through a rectangular glass slab
traced by four students shown as I, II, III and IV in the figure. Which one of them is
correct?

(a) Only I
(b) Only II
(c) Only III
(d) Only IV
Answer:
(b) In a rectangular glass slab, the emergent rays are parallel to the direction of the
incident ray, because the lateral deviation of bending of the ray of light at the
opposite parallel faces (air-glass interface) and (glass-air interface) of the
rectangular glass slab are equal and opposite. This is why the ray emerges are
parallel to the incident ray.

Question 17.
You are given water, mustard oil, glycerine and kerosene. In which of these media,
a ray of light incident obliquely at same angle would bend the most?

(a) Kerosene
(b) Water
(c) Mustard oil
(d) Glycerine
Answer:
(d) The given material having their refractive index as kerosene is 1.44, water is
1.33, mustard oil is 1.46 and glycerine is 1.74. Thus, glycerine is most optically
denser and hence have the largest refractive index. Therefore, ray of light bend
most in glycerine.

Question 18.
A student placed a light bulb in midway between the two plane mirrors inclined at an
angle of 60°. How many images will be observed by him?
(a) 4
(b) 6
(c) 5
(d) 8
Answer:
(c) Number of images formed by two plane mirrors inclined at an angle 60° when a
light bulb is placed in midway between them is
N = 360°/60° – 1 = 6 – 1 = 5

Question 19.
Where an object should be placed in front of a convex lens to get a real image of the
size of the object?
(a) At the principal focus of the lens
(b) At twice the focal length
(c) At infinity
(d) Between the optical centre of the lens and its principal focus

Answer:
(b) To set the real image of the size of the object, it should be placed at twice the
focal length of a convex lens.
Question 20.
Which of the following lenses would you prefer to use while reading small letters
found in dictionary?
(a) A convex lens of focal length 50 cm
(b) A concave lens of focal length 50 cm
(c) A convex lens of focal length 5 cm
(d) A concave lens of focal length 5 cm
Answer:
(c) Convex lens is used as magnifying glass. For better performance its focal length
should be small.