10 Light
10 Light
Date: _________________________
1. Properties of light
• Light travels in straight lines
• It is a form of energy
• It travels at a speed of 3 × 10! m/s in vacuum
• When light hits an object, it can be reflected or refracted
2. Reflection of light
• Reflection is light being bounced off after hitting an opaque surface.
• Reflection allows us to see objects in our surroundings
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• In reflection of light, there are:
- Incident ray: Light ray coming towards the surface
- Reflected ray: Light ray bouncing off the surface
• The type of reflection, regular or diffused, is affected by the type of surface.
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• The characteristics of an image formed in a plane mirror:
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D) Applications of different types of mirrors
Type of mirror Plane mirror Convex mirror Concave mirror
Diagram
- Blind corner
- Dentist mirror
- Rear mirror mirror
Application - Microscope
- Periscope - Side mirror
- Cosmetic mirror
- Security camera
- See wider area - To magnify
Function
3. Refraction of light
• Refraction is the bending of light rays when they travel from one transparent medium
to another transparent medium.
• The refraction is caused by a change in speed of the light rays when they travel in the media
of different densities.
• Refraction of light can only take place in transparent media such as air, water, vacuum (in
space), glass and diamond.
• Light travels at different speeds, in different media
- In a less dense medium, the speed of light is faster
- In a denser medium, the speed of light is slower
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• How a light ray travel between the boundary of two media affects its refraction.
A) Refractive index
• Refractive index is a measure of the bending of a light ray when travelling from one
medium into another.
• The formula to calculate the refractive index, n, is as follows.
sin 𝑖
𝑛=
sin 𝑟
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B) Effect of Refraction – Apparent depth and Real depth
• Due to refraction of light, an object under the water appears to be nearer to the surface than
it really is.
- Real depth is the actual depth or position of the object under the water.
- Apparent depth is the depth or position perceived by an observer due to the refraction
of light.
• The apparent depth is less than the real depth in the effect of refraction.
Examples
Scenario Description
4. Colour
A) Dispersion of white light
• White light is composed of seven colour components.
• Each colour component refracts at different angle when passing through a glass prism
• Therefore, white light will be dispersed by a prism and displays a spectrum of seven colour
components.
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• The splitting of white light into its component colours is called the dispersion of light. The
band colours displayed is known as a spectrum.
• A spectrum of colours can be recombined to from a white light by placing two prisms with
their vertices and bases in opposite directions.
- The first prism disperses the white light into a spectrum of colours.
- The second prism recombines the spectrum of colours into white light.
B) Primary colours
• White light consists of an entire of colour components
• However, white light can also be produced by mixing three distinct colour components
called the primary colours of light. They are red, blue and green.
• The primary colours are colours that cannot be reproduced by mixing other colours.
C) Secondary colours
• Secondary colours can be produced by mixing two of the three primary colours of light.
• Besides the secondary colours, mixing any of the three primary colours of light with
different intensities can produce a wide range of other colours.
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D) Seeing coloured objects
• The colour of an object depends on the colour of light being reflected to the observer.
For example.
A leaf appears green to an observer.
• An object appears black if it absorbs all the colour components of the white light.
• An object appears white if it reflects all the colour components of the white light
E) Coloured filter
• The coloured filter is a type of plastic sheet or
glass that only allows its own colour component
of light to pass through.
For example
• When a yellow light passes through cyan filter, the filter appears green.
- Cyan filter consists of green and blue while yellow light consists of green and red.
- Thus, only green light can pass through.
• A filter appears black when no light can pass through it.
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Name : _________________________
Date: _________________________
Light (Worksheet 1)
1. The diagram below shows a light ray being reflected by a plane mirror.
Type of mirror
Name
Application
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3. The diagram below shows an object being placed in-front of a plane mirror. Complete the
ray diagram to show how the observer sees point x.
4. An optician holds a test card 15 cm behind a patient. When the patient looks into a plane
mirror in front of him, the distance between him and the image of the test card is 3.15 m.
What is the distance of the patient from the plane mirror? (Hint: sketch the situation.)
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5. The diagram below shows a light ray bends as it travels from Medium A into Medium B.
(f) Why does light bends as it passes through from medium A to Medium B
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6. The figure below shows an incomplete diagram of light passing from air through water and
then glass. Complete the ray diagram below:
Air
Water
Glass
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7. The diagram below shows a person observing a fish which is at the actual position marked
X.
(a) Complete the ray diagram to show the position of the fish being observed by the man.
Label the position XI.
(b) On the same diagram, label the apparent depth and the actual depth of the object.
8. Red, Blue and Green are considered primary colours. Secondary colours can be produced
by mixing two of three primary colours.
Red + Blue
Green + Blue
(b) When a coloured light hits a blue object, it appears green. What is the colour of the
light?
_____________________________________________________________________
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Name : _________________________
Date: _________________________
Light (Worksheet 2)
1. A mirror is placed tilted at an angle of 30 º to the bench. A ray of light is directed so that
it hits the mirror at an angle of 20º to the surface of the mirror.
A. 20º C. 30º
B. 50º D. 70º
2. A mirror is placed tilted to the bench. A ray of light is directed so that it hits the mirror at
an angle of 42º to the surface of the mirror.
A. 48o C. 58o
B. 137o D. 42o
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3. The diagram shows rays of light passing through an object X. What could be X?
A. 42o C. 48o
B. 60o D. 30o
A. Medium A. B. Medium B
C. Both are equally dense. D. None of the options are right.
6. When you look at a convex mirror, the image of your face is:
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7. The diagram below shows the reflection of a light ray.
A. 65o C. 125o
B. 25o D. 35o
8. Security mirrors in shops are usually convex rather than plane. What is the reason for this?
9. The diagram shows the path of a ray of light travelling towards and into a pool of water.
Four angles, P, Q, R and S are labelled.
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10. The figure below shows a ray of light from a small lamp striking a plane mirror.
12. A light ray from the lighted lamp is incident on a plane mirror as shown.
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13. An optician holds a test card 25 cm behind a patient. When the patient looks into a plane
mirror in front of him, the distance between him and the image of the test card is 385 cm.
What is the distance of the patient from the plane mirror? (Hint: sketch the situation).
14. Which one of the following is true about the laws of reflection?
A. The incident ray and the normal ray may not lie in the same plane.
B. The laws of reflection can be applied to the plane mirror only.
C. The laws do not apply when light scatters on a rough surface.
D. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
16. Which of the following factors causes the refraction of light to take place?
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18. The diagram below shows a light ray being reflected by a hard surface.
Which of the following pairs show the correct angles of incidence and reflection?
19. The diagram below shows a ray of light XY travelling from medium A to medium B.
Which of the following statements is correct about the refraction shown above?
A. Medium A is less dense than B and the ray YZ travels faster than XY.
B. Medium A is denser than B and the ray YZ travels faster than XY.
C. Medium A is less dense than B and the ray YZ travels slower than XY.
D. Medium A is denser than B and the ray YZ travels slower than XY.
20. Which of the following correctly shows the speed of light in vacuum?
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21. White light is passed through two different coloured filters as shown in the diagram below.
22. Two beams of coloured light Y and blue were mixed as shown in the diagram below.
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25. The diagram below shows the light ray refracted by a medium.
26. In an experiment, a light ray from a point source is directed into a glass block until it
reemerges. Which of the following drawings correctly represents the observation of the
experiment?
27. The diagram below shows the reflection of light rays after hitting a surface of a floor.
Which of the following terms correctly describes the reflection shown above?
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28. The diagram shows the image of an object in a plane mirror.
29. The diagram below shows a light ray hitting a hard surface.
A. 40° C. 80°
B. 50° D. 130°
30. Which of the following is the similar characteristic of an image shown in the rear mirror of
a car and a dentists’ mirror?
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Section B: Short Answer Questions
1. The diagram shows a light ray reflected by two mirrors, 1 and 2 in an experiment.
Diagram is not drawn to scale.
43o
83o
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(b) What would be the angle of incidence and angle of reflection at mirror 2?
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2. Two mirrors, P and Q, are arranged at 90° to each other as shown in the diagram below
(not to scale). A ray of light strikes mirror P at an angle of 30°.
(a) Complete the diagram to show how the ray of light reflects from mirrors P and Q.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(d) By using relevant angle properties, determine the angle of reflection of the light ray
from mirror Q.
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3. The diagram below shows a triangular object in front of a plane mirror.
(a) In the diagram, draw the image of the object behind the mirror.
(i) Write down how the image of the word CORAL will look like in a plane mirror.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(ii) How many letters in the word will appear to be the same in the mirror?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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4. A driver sees the image of the car behind him in a mirror as shown in the diagram below:
(a) Complete the ray diagram to locate the image of the car at point X. Label the point Y.
(b) Calculate the horizontal distance between the eye and the image.
Answer: ____________m
(c) On the diagram, complete the ray to show the path taken by light rays travelling from
X to the driver’s eye.
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5. In this question, drawing should be done carefully with a pencil.
The diagram below shows a ray of light striking mirror 1 at point X.
(b) Mirror 2 is parallel to mirror 1. The reflected ray from the mirror strikes mirror 2.
Compare the direction of the ray reflected from mirror 2 with the incident ray at point
X. You may do a further construction on the diagram if you wish. Complete the
sentence below:
_____________________________________________________________________
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6. The figure below shows an incomplete path of a ray of light entering water from air.
(a) Complete the diagram by indicating the refracted ray, angle of incidence, i, and angle
of refraction, r.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(c) The figure below shows a blind corner mirror and a dental mirror.
State the type of reflecting surface used in both and describe one difference between
the images formed by each reflecting surface.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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7. A student has an aquarium. Fig. 7.1 shows an incomplete ray diagram of how the student
can see the image of a fish in his aquarium.
Fig 7.1
(b) Complete the ray diagram in Fig. 7.1 to show how the student sees the fish.
Include arrows to indicate the direction of the light rays.
(c) The student visited an aquarium and he saw a clown fish in the aquarium.
Fig. 7.2 shows an incomplete ray diagram to show how light can travel for student to
see the clown fish.
Fig 7.2
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(i) Complete the ray diagram in Fig. 7.2 to show how the path of light travels from
the clown fish to the student’s eye.
(ii) Describe and explain the path of light ray travelling from the clown fish to the
student’s eye.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(d) When a beam of white light passes through a triangular glass prism, white light is
separated into seven different kinds of coloured light as seen in Fig. 7.3.
Fig 7.3
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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8. Two plane mirrors, AB and BC are placed at an angle as shown in Fig. 8.1. The object, O
is in between the two mirrors and the observer’s eye is away at a distance from O.
Fig 8.1
(a) Locate and label ‘P’, the image of the object, in the plane mirror AB.
(b) Locate and label ‘Q’, the image of the object, in the plane mirror BC.
(c) Draw a complete single ray diagram to show how the eye is able to see Q and its
corresponding incident ray on the diagram in the plane mirror BC.
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Name : _________________________
Date: _________________________
Light (Worksheet 3)
Section A: MCQ
3. A student stands in front of a mirror at point S. There are objects placed at points X, Y and
Z.
A. 0 B. 1 C. 2 D. 3
4. The diagram below shows an object, X, placed 2 metres in front of a plane mirror.
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5. The diagram below shows the position of Sun above a house. Sun light cannot pass through
the roof of the house, but there is a hole that allows light to pass through. The walls and
roof to the house are not reflective.
6. A ray of light travels from medium X and medium Y. If medium X is optically denser than
medium Y, which of the following correctly shows the light path?
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7. Mr Loh’s car is behind Mr Lim’s car at a traffic light. The number plate of Mr Loh’s car
reads SBC2569 as shown below.
How would Mr Lim see Mr Loh’s car number plate in his rear view mirror?
A
B SBC 2569 F
C F 2569 SBC
D
A. Red C. Blue
B. White D. Yellow
A. 30o C. 90o
B. 60o D. 120o
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10. As Lily was driven to school by her father, she observed a large mirror at a turning point
along the road put up to help drivers look out for approaching vehicles.
A. The images in this minor are similar to those formed in a dentist's mirror
B. The images in the mirror were laterally inverted.
C. The images in the mirror were upright.
D. The mirror provided the driver with a large field of view and allowed many objects to
be seen.
11. The diagram shows the spectrum of 7 colours produced when white light is dispersed by a
glass prism.
1 2 3 4
A infra-red red green ultra-violet
B red green orange blue
C red orange green blue
D red orange green ultra-violet
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12. If a shirt appears white in sunlight, it is ........
13. Which diagram shows the correct image of the key in a plane minor?
14. What causes a swimming pool to appear shallower than its real depth?
15. The diagram shows a ray of light, PQ, incident on a rectangular glass block.
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16. Mr Lee decided to install a security mirror in his shop after he found out that several items
in his shop had been shoplifted.
A. concave C. plane
B. convex D. wavy
18. A girl stands at a distance of 3 m in front of a plane mirror. A boy stands at a distance of
4 m behind her.
What is the distance between the boy and the image of the girl?
A. 1 m C. 10 m
B. 4 m D. 14 m
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19. Three surfaces of a large block are painted with white, yellow and red as shown.
Which of the following correctly shows the colour changes under blue light?
X Y
A red violet
B red indigo
C indigo red
D violet red
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Section B: Short Answer Questions
1. (a) Explain what is meant by a virtual image.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(b) The diagram below shows an object being placed in front of a plane mirror. Complete
the ray diagram to show how the observer sees the object O in the mirror.
2. The diagram below shows the light rays being reflected by a surface.
____________________________________________________________ [1]
____________________________________________________________ [1]
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(b) Name the parts
(i) A: _____________________________________
(ii) B: _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(b) Predict the colour appearance for the following objects. Explain briefly how you derive
your answer.
(i) A magenta light shines on a yellow ball.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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4. The diagram below shows a man in a boat observing an object which is at the actual position
marked X.
(a) Complete the ray diagram to show the position of the object being observed by the man
in the boat. Label the position X’.
(b) On the same diagram, label the apparent depth and the actual depth of the object.
5. The diagram below shows a light ray entering medium B from medium A.
(a) Explain why refraction of light takes place when a light ray travels from one medium
to another medium.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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(c) State the following angles:
(a) On the diagram, draw and label the position of the image formed in the minor.
(b) Using 2 rays, complete the ray diagram showing how the eye will see the image of point
B. You must indicate the angles of incidence and reflection.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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(d) One night, a car almost ran over a teenager who was crossing the road. The area was lit
by street lamps emitting yellow light. The teenager, who managed to spot the car as it
turned the corner, informed the police that the car was a black Honda.
The police did an investigation and narrowed their search to 3 suspects. However, none
of the Honda cars were black. Car A was blue, Car B was green and Car C was red.
Which car could have belonged to the culprit? Explain why he is guilty while the other
two drivers are innocent.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(ii) Hence, draw a ray diagram to show the reflection of a light ray on a hard
(smooth) surface. Label your diagram completely.
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(b) Draw a complete ray diagram to show how a beam of parallel light rays is reflected
when they strike the surface of a sand paper.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. (a) Describe, with an aid of a diagram, what would happen when white light passes through
a prism.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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(b) Explain why a yellow pencil box appears red and a green pencil box appears black when
a red light shines on them.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. An optician's eye chart is fixed l .4 m behind the eyes of a patient who is looking into a
plane mirror placed 2.9 m in front of him. The patient is seated as shown below in the
diagram.
(a) In the diagram above, draw the image of the eye chart.
(b) Find the distance of the image of the chart as seen by the patient measured from the
eye.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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4. A thin layer of solar film has been applied onto a glass plane for reflection of light.
The optical density of glass is higher than solar film and the optical density of solar film is
higher than air.
(a) Show how the incident ray will emerge from the interface AB in the below diagram.
include the labels for the emergent ray(s), refracted ray(s) and reflected ray(s).
(b) Solar film works by reflecting close to 90% of the solar energy. Besides using a solar
film, suggest another application of solar films in a tropical climate like Singapore.
_____________________________________________________________________
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Name : _________________________
Date: _________________________
Light (Test 1)
2. A ray of light strikes a plane mirror M1, at an angle of 40°. The mirror is now rotated
anticlockwise through an angle 15° to a new position M2 without changing the direction
of the incident light ray.
What is the angle of reflection when the mirror is rotated to a new position M2?
A. 15° C. 50°
B. 35° D. 55°
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3. The diagram shows an object placed in front of a plane mirror.
Which diagram shows the correct mirror image of the object as seen in the plane mirror?
4. The diagram shows a patient having his eye tested. A chart with letters on it are placed
behind him and he sees the chart reflected in a plane mirror.
How far away from the patient is the image of the chart?
A. 2 m B. 5m C. 7 m D. 10 m
5. An observer O, is looking into a pond, sees an image of a small fish which appears to be at
X as shown in the diagram below. Where is the actual position of the small fish?
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6. Four students, P, Q, R and S, are standing in front of a plane mirror as shown below. Who
can student Q see in the mirror?
8. When a light ray passes from an optically denser medium to an optically less dense medium
at an angle, the light ray _______________.
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9. Most shops contain a security mirror to allow the shop owner have a better view of the
entire shop. What type(s) of mirrors are used as security mirrors?
A. Concave mirrors
B. Convex mirrors
C. Concave and convex mirrors
D. Plane mirrors
10. A ray of light passes through three liquids Q, R and S as shown in the diagram.
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Section B: Structured Question [5 marks]
1. (a) Draw a ray diagram with two rays to show how the eyes sees the image of the object.
[3]
_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________[1]
1. ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________ [2]
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2. The figure below shows a ray of light as it enters the glass prism at side YZ. XYZ is a right
angled triangular prism.
(a) Explain why the light ray bends in the manner shown in the figure as it enters the glass
prism.
_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________ [2]
(c) On the diagram, complete the path of the light ray to show the pathway of light as it
exits the glass prism. [1]
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Name : _________________________
Date: _________________________
Light (Test 2)
colour at X colour at Y
A red violet
B red red
C violet red
D violet violet
2. The diagram below shows a man and a chair in front of a plane mirror. What is the distance
between the man and the image of the chair?
A. 3 m C. 7 m
B. 5 m D. 10 m
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3. A boy is standing 2.0 m in front of a mirror. His cat is sitting 3.0 m behind him. If the cat
walks 1.5 m towards the mirror, how far is the boy away from the cat’s image in the mirror?
A. 3.5 m C. 5.5 m
B. 5.0 m D. 7.0 m
4. A light ray is incident on a plane mirror that is tilted at an angle of 30° to a vertical wall.
A. 30° C. 50°
B. 40° D. 70°
5. A ray of light travels from medium X to medium Y as shown in the diagram below.
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Section B: Structured Questions [10 marks]
Fig 1.1
(a) Determine the positions of the mirrors and draw them onto Fig. 1.1.
(b) Two transparent blocks made of materials R and S are stacked on top of one another.
Air is optically less dense than R and S.
Fig. 1.2 shows what happens to light as it passes from air into R and S.
Fig 1.2
(i) Name the process that occurs as light passes from air into R and S. [1]
_______________________________________________________________
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(ii) Which material, R or S, has a higher optical density?
Explain your answer. [2]
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(iii) On the diagram, draw the path of the light ray after it leaves medium S. [1]
Fig 1.3
(c) Fig. 1.4 shows a flower with red and yellow petals.
Fig 1.3
State the colour of the flower observed when it is placed under green light.
Give a reason for your answer. [2]
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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