Prepared by Mr.

Rishwin Singh Sinda

Light
• Characteristics of light
- Speed of light 3 × 108 𝑚𝑠 −1
- A form of energy
- An electromagnetic wave
- Travels in a straight line (Rectilinear Propagation)
- Transverse wave (can travel in vacuum)

• Two different types of objects

Luminous Object Non-luminous Object
Objects that emits its Objects that do not emit
own light. its own light
(Illuminated Objects)
Example: Sun, Examples: Moon, Table,
Flashlight, Blub, Chair
Candlelight

• 3 Types of non-luminous objects

- Transparent objects → Let all light pass through
- Translucent objects → Let some light pass
through
- Opaque → Blocks all light.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• 2 ways that light can be represented?

- Ray → One straight line that represents the
direction of the light
- Beam → Stream of light consisting of many rays.

• Shadow: → Absence of light

Umbra Shadow Penumbra Shadow

Definition: Definition:
Clean or dark all around Gray/fuzzy around, dark
shadow formed by a small in the middle shadow
light source formed by a large light
source.
Characteristics: Characteristics:
- Sharp edges - Edges are
- Small light source penumbra.
- Light source is far - Large light
away from the object source.
- Light is completely - Light source is
blocked by object. close to the object
- Light is in every
direction; the
sides are partially
blocked.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• How do we see things?

Light travels in a straight line, when light hits an
object, it is reflected and bounces into our eyes.

• Law of Reflection:
𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.

• Types of Reflection:
1. Regular reflection.

- Smooth/flat surface.
- Shiny.
- Light is reflected regularly.
- Example: Mirror
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

2. Diffused Reflection.

- Rought, bumpy surface.

- Dull.
- Light is diffused.
- Example: Table/Rock

• Characteristics of a mirror image:

- Same size.
- Virtual image
- Same distance
(Distance of image to object = Distance of object to
mirror.)

• Types of Image:
- Real Image → Image that can be projected on a
screen.
- Virtual Image → Image that cannot be projected
on screen.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• Why is a mirror image virtual?

The image seems to be in the mirror, but the position
of the image changes when we move around.
Hence, it cannot be projected onto a screen.

• How to calculate the number of reflections in a

kaleidoscope?

(360° ÷ 𝜃) − 1
𝜃 → 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 2 𝑚𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑖𝑑𝑜𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑒

• Refraction:
Bending of light when light travels through a different
optically dense medium.

• How does light travels in different optically dense

mediums?

When light travels from a less dense medium to a

denser medium, it slows down and bends towards the
normal.
 Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• Colour of the spectrum:

𝑅𝑒𝑑 → 𝑂𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 → 𝑌𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 → 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 → 𝐵𝑙𝑢𝑒 → 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑜 → 𝑉𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑡

Going RED
Down
ORANGE
Frequency
Increases YELLOW Going
Up
Higher GREEN
Frequency Wavelength
BLUE Increases
light wave
bends INDIGO
more VIOLET

• Why do we use triangular prism to disperse light

rather than a rectangular prism?

The triangular prism makes the dispersion more spread

out, so we can see the spectrum.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• Why do we use a semi-circular prism to visualize

total internal reflection?

Because we want to manipulate the angle inside the

prism without changing the angle of incident ray.

• Critical angle → The angle of incidence in which

the refracted is 90°.
• Total Internal Reflection → Happens when the
incident angle is
larger than the critical
angle.

• Why are rays in the optical fibre unable to escape?

Light rays cannot escape the fibres because the ray is

totally internally reflected each time it reaches the
boundary.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• Uses of optical fibres?

- Telecommunication.
- Medical Endoscope.

• Two types of lenses.

- Convex lens
- Concave lens
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• How do beams entering a convex and concave lens

look like?

- Thicker lens → Shorter focal length, higher

power
- Thinner lens → Longer focal length, lower
Power

• When lenses have the same thickness, how does

refractive index of lens affect its focal length and
bending of light?

Higher Refractive Index → Shorter focal length,

light bends more.
Lower Refractive Index → Longer focal length,
Light bends lesser.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥 =
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚
1
𝑛=
sin 𝐶

• 2 eyesight problems that can be fixed with lenses.

Long sighted→ Light rays are focused behind

retina.
Can be fixed by wearing concave lens.

Short sighted → Light rays are focused in front of

retina. Can be fixed by wearing
convex lens.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

Waves

• Mechanical Wave:
The transfer of energy.

• Two types of Waves:

Transverse Wave:
Particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of
wave.
Longitudinal Wave:
Particles vibrate parallel to the direction of wave.

• When speed of wave decreases, what happens to

its frequency and wavelength?

Speed of wave decreases, Wavelength decreases,

frequency remains constant.

Speed of wave is directly proportional to the

wavelength.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• Refraction of water wave:

The bending of water wave when the wave travels
through a different depth of water.

The speed of wave reduces (changes) when going

through shallower depts of water.

When water wave travels from deep to shallow water,

it slows down and ray bends towards the normal.

When water wave travels from shallow to deep water,

it speeds up and ray bends away from the normal.

• Interference
Also known as Super Position.

• Types of Interference:
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

Electromagnetic Spectrum

• Definition
Waves as a result of the vibrations between an
electric field and magnetic field.

Characteristics:
- Travels at the speed of light.
- Transverse wave.

Wave Uses
Radiowaves Communication
Microwaves Mobile Phones
Infrared Optical Fibre
communication
Visible Light Photography
Ultraviolet Detecting false notes (fake)
X-Ray Medical Imaging
Gamma Ray Sterilize Medical
Equipments
 Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

Radiowaves
Frequency
Microwaves
Wavelength Increases
Infrared
Decreases Visible Light Energy
Ultraviolet Increases
X-Ray
Gamma Ray

Speed remains constant

• Characteristics of Sound Wave:

- Longitudinal Wave.
- Cannot travel in vacuum.
- Travels through solid, liquid and gas.
- Sources of sound wave produced by Vibration.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

• How does sound travel?

When sound source vibrates, it vibrates the particles

around it.
Particles vibrate back and forth. It bounces into air
particles that are next to it, and so on, carrying the
sound along.
Sound travels through compressions, where air
molecules are forced together and rarefactions, where
particles are furthest apart.

• What is the reflection of sound wave and how does

it happen?

Echo → It happens due to sound waves that reflect

from a smooth, hard, large and flat surface.
(Wall or Cliff)

• Ways of preventing echoes.

1. Covering walls with soft fabric (curtains)
- Absorbs sound waves.
2. Making the wall surface uneven (Soft sponge)
- So that the reflected sound waves are scattered.
Prepared by Mr. Rishwin Singh Sinda

Liquid → Solid → Gas

Sound travels the

furthest

• Lower amplitude → Softer sound

• Higher amplitude → Louder sound
• Longer wavelength → Lower pitch,
Lower frequency
• Shorter wavelength → Higher pitch,
Higher frequency