Light – Reflection and Refraction

Light
Light is a form of energy that causes the sensation of vision.
Notes
a. Light is a form of Electromagnetic radiation.
b. It does not require a medium for its propagation.
c. Speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 108 m/s (represented by the symbol ‘c’).

Laws of reflection
a. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection; < i = < r.
b. The incident ray, normal to the mirror at the point of incidence and the reflected ray, all lie in the same plane.

Plane mirror
A mirror with a reflecting surface that forms part of a plane is called a plane mirror.

Properties of image formed by a plane mirror

a. The image is virtual and erect.
b. Size of the image is same as that of the object.
c. Image is formed as far behind the mirror as the object in front.
d. Image is laterally inverted.

Spherical mirror
A mirror with a reflecting surface that forms part of a sphere is called a spherical mirror.
Concave mirror
A spherical mirror with a reflecting surface that forms part of inner surface of a sphere is called a concave mirror.
Convex mirror
A spherical mirror with a reflecting surface that forms part of outer surface of a sphere is called a convex mirror.

Spherical mirrors – Definition of terms

Pole (P):- The centre point of the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror is called the pole.
Centre of curvature (C):- Centre of the sphere, of which the mirror forms a part.
Radius of curvature (R):- Radius of the sphere, of which the mirror forms a part.
Principal Axis: - An imaginary line passing through the centre of curvature and pole of a spherical mirror.

Principal Focus (F) of a Concave mirror: - A point on the principal axis at which all the rays incident parallel to the
principal axis converge after reflection from the concave mirror.
Principal Focus (F) of a Convex mirror: - A point on the principal axis from which all the rays incident parallel to the
principal axis appear to diverge after reflection from the convex mirror.
Focal length (f):- The distance from pole of a spherical mirror to its principal focus.
Aperture : The effective diameter of the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror.

Notes
a. P is a point on the mirror, but C is a point away from the mirror.
b. C and F of a concave mirror are in front of the mirror, but those of a convex mirror are behind the mirror.
 c. R is the distance from the C to any point on the mirror.
d. A line joining C and any point on the mirror will be normal to the mirror at that point.
e. Principal axis is normal to the mirror at the P.

Relation between R and f

For the spherical mirrors whose aperture is much less than the radius of curvature,
𝑅 = 2𝑓

Patterns of reflections

1. Incident ray parallel to the principal axis

2. Incident ray through/towards F

3. Incident ray through/towards C

4. Incident ray at P
Image formations by a Concave mirror

1. Object at infinity

Properties of image
Position At F
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Highly Diminished

2. Object beyond C

Properties of image
Position Between C and F
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Diminished

3. Object at C
 Properties of image
Position At C
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Same size

4. Object between C and F

Properties of image
Position Beyond C
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Enlarged

5. Object at F

Properties of image
Position At Infinity
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Highly enlarged

6. Object between F and P

 Properties of image
Position Behind the mirror
Nature Virtual and erect
Magnification Enlarged

Applications of Concave mirrors

a. When a source of light is placed at the focus of a concave mirror, powerful, parallel beams of light are produced.
Therefore, concave mirrors are used as reflectors in searchlights, head lights etc.
b. When an object is placed between P and F of a concave mirror, a virtual erect and enlarged image is formed behind
the mirror. Therefore, concave mirrors are used as shaving mirrors or make-up mirrors, to obtain enlarged image of
the face. This property is also used in dentists’ mirror (mouth mirror) to see large images of teeth to be observed.
c. Parallel rays incident on a concave mirror get converged to a point. Large concave mirrors are used to concentrate
sunlight to produce heat in solar furnaces.

Image formations by a Convex mirror

1. Object at infinity

Properties of image
Position At F
Nature Virtual and Erect
Magnification Highly Diminished

2. Object at a finite distance (between infinity and P)

 Properties of image
Position Between P and F
Nature Virtual and Erect
Magnification Diminished

Applications of Convex mirrors

Convex mirrors are commonly used as rear-view (wing) mirrors in vehicles because
i) They have a wider field of view
ii) Irrespective of the object distance, they give an erect, though diminished, image.

Disadvantage: - Since the images are diminished, object distance is often misjudged. (Objects in the mirror are closer
than they appear.)

New Cartesian Sign Conventions

a. The object is always placed to the left of the mirror. (Incident rays fall on the mirror from left hand side.)
b. All distances parallel to the principal axis are measured from the pole (P) of the mirror.
c. Distances measured to the right from the pole are positive.
d. Distances measured to the left from the pole are negative.
e. Distances measured above and perpendicular to the principal axis are positive
f. Distances measured below and perpendicular to the principal axis are negative

Object Distance(u) Always Negative

Object height (h) Always Positive
Image distance(v) Negative for Real Images
Positive for Virtual Images
Image height(h’) Negative for Real Images
Positive for Virtual Images
Focal length (f) Negative for Concave mirrors
Positive for Convex mirrors

Mirror Formula

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
+ =
𝒗 𝒖 𝒇
Where, v=image distance
u=object distance
and f=focal length of the spherical mirror

Magnification (m)
Magnification is expressed as the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the object.

𝒉' −𝒗
𝐦 = 𝐦 =
𝒉 𝒖

Properties of value of magnification (m)

a. If m>0 (positive), image is virtual and erect.

b. If m<0 (negative), image is real and inverted.
c. If |m|>1, image is enlarged.
d. If |m|<1, image is diminished.

Refraction
The change in direction of a ray of light, when it passes obliquely from one medium to another, is known as
refraction of light.

Refraction of light through a glass slab

Laws of Refraction
a) 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.
b) The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a constant, for the light of a
given wavelength (color) and for the given pair of media. This law is also known as Snell’s law of
refraction.

𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒊
= 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒓
This constant value is called the refractive index of the second medium with respect to the first.
Refractive Index
The refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium 1 is given by the ratio of the speed of light in
medium 1 and the speed of light in medium 2.

𝒗𝟏
𝒏𝟐𝟏 =
𝒗𝟐
Absolute Refractive Index
The absolute refractive index of a medium is given by the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of
light in that medium.

𝒄
𝒏𝒎 =
𝒗𝒎

Notes
a) Medium with larger refractive index is optically denser medium and the medium with lower refractive
index is optically rarer.
b) The speed of light is higher in a rarer medium than in a denser medium.
c) Refractive index of a medium is inversely proportional to the speed of light in that medium.
d) Minimum possible value for absolute refractive index is 1, since the speed of light is maximum in
vacuum.
e) A ray of light travelling from a rarer medium to a denser medium slows down and bends towards the
normal. When it travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium, it speeds up and bends away from
the normal.

Relations of Refractive Indices

𝟏
𝒏𝒈𝒘 =
𝒏𝒘𝒈
𝒗𝒘
𝒏𝒈𝒘 =
𝒗𝒈
𝒏𝒈𝒂
𝒏𝒈𝒘 =
𝒏𝒘𝒂
 𝒏𝒈
𝒏𝒈𝒘 =
𝒏𝒘
Lens: - A transparent material bound by two surfaces, of which one or both surfaces are spherical, forms a
spherical lens.
Convex Lens: - A spherical lens which is thicker at the middle and thinner at the edges is called a convex lens.
It is a converging lens.
Concave Lens: - A spherical lens which is thinner at the middle and thicker at the edges is called a concave lens.
It is a diverging lens.
Centres of curvature: - Centres of the spheres, of which the refracting surfaces of a lens form parts.
Principal axis: - An imaginary line passing through both the centres of curvature of a lens.
Aperture: - The effective diameter of the circular outline of a spherical lens.
Principal Focus (F) of a Convex lens: - A point on the principal axis at which all the rays incident parallel to the principal
axis converge after refraction through the convex lens.
Principal Focus (F) of a Concave lens: - A point on the principal axis from which all the rays incident parallel to the
principal axis appear to diverge after refraction from the concave lens.
Focal length (f):- The distance from optical centre of a spherical lens to its principal focus.
Patterns of refractions

1. Incident ray parallel to the principal axis

2. Incident ray through/towards the principal focus

3. Incident ray through to the optical centre

Image formations by a Convex lens

1. Object at infinity

Properties of image
Position At F2
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Highly Diminished

2. Object beyond 2F1

Properties of image
 Position Between F2 and 2F2
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Diminished

3. Object at 2F1

Properties of image
Position At 2F2
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Same size

4. Object between 2F1 and F1

Properties of image
Position Beyond 2F2
Nature Real and Inverted
Magnification Enlarged

5. Object at F1

Properties of image
Position At Infinity
Nature Real and Inverted
 Magnification Highly enlarged

6. Object between F1 and O

Properties of image
Position Behind the object
Nature Virtual and erect
Magnification Enlarged

Image formations by a Concave lens

1. Object at infinity

Properties of image
Position At F1
Nature Virtual and Erect
Magnification Highly Diminished

2. Object at a finite distance (between infinity and O)

Properties of image
Position Between F1 and O
Nature Virtual and Erect
 Magnification Diminished

Lens Formula

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
− =
𝒗 𝒖 𝒇
Where, v=image distance
u=object distance
and f=focal length of the spherical lens

Magnification (m)

𝒉' 𝒗
𝐦 = 𝐦 =
𝒉 𝒖

Power of a Lens
It is the ability of a lens to converge or diverge light rays. It is defined as the reciprocal of its focal length. Its SI
Unit is diopter (D).

Dioptre: - One dioptre is defined as the power of a lens with a focal length of one metre.

Notes

Real Image Virtual Image

It is formed when the rays converge and actually It is formed when the rays diverge and appear to
meet at a point, after reflection or refraction. meet at a point, after reflection or refraction.
Real images are inverted Virtual images are erect
They can be captured on a screen. They cannot be captured on a screen
They form on the right side of a lens. They form on the left side of a lens.
They form on the left side of a mirror. They form on the right side of a mirror.

Combination of Lenses
If two or more lenses are placed together to form a combination, then the power of the combination is equal
to the sum of the powers of individual lenses.

P = P1 + P2 + P3 + …

1 1 1 1
= + + +…
f f1 f2 f3