PHYSICS

Light

Previous Year
Questions
(1)
 VIDYAPEETH
LIGHT
Previous Year Questions
1. In which of the following concave
mirror used
(A) A solar cooker
(D)
(B) A rear-view mirror in vehicles
(C) A safety mirror in shopping malls
(D) In viewing full size image of
distant tall buildings (1 marks)
3. The following diagram shows the use of
2. A student wants to obtain magnified an optical device to perform an
image of an object AB as on a Screen. experiment of light. As per the
Which one of the following arrangement shown, the optical device
arrangements shows the correct position is likely to be a: (1 marks)
of AB for him/her to be successful?
(1 marks)

(A) (A) Concave mirror

(B) Concave lens
(C) Convex mirror
(D) Concave lens

4. A ray of light starting from air passes

(B) through medium A of refractive index
1.50, enters medium B of refractive
index 1.33 and finally enters medium C
of refractive index 2.42. If this ray
emerges out in air from C, then for
which of the following pairs of media
(C) the bending of light least? (1 marks)
(A) Air-A (B) A-B
(C) B-C (D) C-air

(2)
5. For the diagram shown, according to the 7. In the diagram given below X and Y are
new Cartesian sign convention the the end colours of the spectrum of white
magnification of the image formed will light. The colour of ‘Y’ Represents the
have the following specifications:
(1 marks)

(A) Colour of the sky as seen from

earth during the day
(B) Colour of the sky as seen from the
(A) Sign-Positive, Value-Less than 1 moon
(B) Sign-Positive, Value-More than 1 (C) Colour used to paint the danger
signals
(C) Sign-Negative, Value-Less than 1
(D) Colour of the sun at the time of the
(D) Sign-Negative, Value-More than 1
noon (1 marks)

6. A ray of light is incident as shown. If A,

8. If a lens can converge the sun rays at a
B and C are three different transparent point 20 cm away from its optical
media, then which among the following center, the power of the lens is-
options is true for the given diagram? (1 marks)
(1 marks) (A) +2D (B) –2D
(C) +5D (D) –5D

9. The radius of curvature of a converging

mirror is 30 cm. At what distance from
the mirror should the object be placed to
obtain a virtual image? (1 marks)
(A) Infinity
(B) 30 cm
(C) Between 15 cm and 30 cm
(A) ∠1 > ∠4 (D) Between 0 cm and 15 cm
(B) ∠1 < ∠ 2
(C) ∠ 3 = ∠ 2 10. A converging lens forms a three times
(D) ∠3 > ∠4 magnified image of an object, which
can be taken on a screen. If the focal

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 length of the lens is 30 cm, then the 13. The refractive index of medium A is 1.5
distance of the object from the lens is: and that of medium B is 1.33. If the
(2 marks) speed of light in air is 3 x 108 m/s, what
(A) –55 cm (B) –50 cm is the speed of light in medium A and B
(C) –45 cm (D) –40 cm respectively? (2 marks)
(A) 2 × 10 m/s and 1.33 × 108 m/s
8
11. Which of the following statements is not
(B) 1.33 × 108 m/s and 2 × 108 m/s
true in reference to the diagram shown
(C) 2.25 × 108 m/s and 2 × 108 m/s
above? (2 marks)
(D) 2 × 108 m/s and 2.25 × 108 m/s

14. An object of height 4 cm is kept at a

distance of 30 cm from the pole of the
diverging mirror. If the focal length of
the mirror is 10 cm, the height of the
(A) Image formed is real image formed is (2 marks)
(B) Image formed is enlarged (A) +3.0 cm (B) +2.5 cm
(C) Image is formed at a distance equal (C) +1.0 cm (D) +7.5 cm
to double of focal length
(D) Image formed is inverted 15. The absolute refractive index of ruby is
1.7. find the speed of light in ruby. The
12. In the diagram shown below, n1, n2 and speed of light in vacuum is 3 × 108 m/s.
n3 are refractive indices of the media 1,2 (2 marks)
and 3 respectively. Which one of the
following is true in this case 16. The power of the lens is +5 diopters.
(2 marks) What is the nature and focal length of
this lens? At what distance from this
lens should an object be placed so as to
get its inverted image of the same size?
(2 marks)

17. List four precautions a student should

observe while determining the focal
length of a given convex lens by
(A) n1 = n2 (B) n1 > n2 obtaining the image of a distant object
(C) n2 > n3 (D) n3 > n1 on a screen. (2 marks)

(4)
18. A compound microscope is an iii. Value = Less than 1 and Sign
instrument which consists of two = Negative
lenses L1 and L2. The lens L1 called iv. Value = More than 1 and Sign
objective, forms a real, inverted, and = Negative
magnified image of the given object.
This serves as the object for the second 19. The diagram given below shows an
lens L2, the eye piece. The eye piece object O and its image I.
functions like a simple microscope or
magnifier. It produces the final image,
which is inverted with respect to the
original object, enlarged and virtual.
(3 marks)
Without actually drawing the ray
(A) What type of lenses must be L1 and
diagram, state the following: (3 marks)
L2.
(A) Type of lens (Converging /
i. Both concave
Diverging)
ii. Both convex
(B) Name two optical instruments
iii. L1-concave and L2-convex
where such an image is obtained.
iv. L1-convex and L2-concave
(C) List three characteristics of the
(B) What is the value and sign of
image formed if this lens is
magnification of the image formed
replaced by a concave mirror of
by L1?
focal length ‘f’ and an object is
i. Value = Less than 1 and Sign
placed at a distance f/2 in front of
= Positive
the mirror.
ii. Value = More than 1 and Sign
= Positive
20. Answer the following questions:
iii. Value = Less than 1 and Sign
(3 marks)
= Negative
(A) Water has refractive index 1.33 and
iv. Value = More than 1 and Sign
alcohol has refractive index 1.36.
= Negative
Which of the two medium is
(C) What is the value and sign of
optically denser? Give reason for
magnification of the image formed
your answer.
by L2?
(B) Draw the ray diagram to show the
i. Value = Less than 1 and Sign
path of the ray of light passing
= Positive
obliquely from water to alcohol.
ii. Value = More than 1 and Sign
(C) State the relationship between
= Positive
angle of incidence and angle of
refraction in the above case.
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21. Answer the following questions: directed the reflected light on to a sheet
(3 marks) of paper held close to the mirror.
(A) State Snell’s law of refraction of (3 marks)
light. (A) What should he do to burn the
(B) When a ray of light travelling in air paper?
enters obliquely into a glass slab, it (B) Which type of mirror does he
is observed that the light ray have?
emerges parallel to the incident ray (C) Will he be able to determine the
but it is shifted sideways slightly. approximate value of focal length
Draw a labelled ray diagram to of this mirror from this activity?
illustrate it. Give reason and draw ray diagram
to justify your answer in this case.
22. Draw a ray diagram in each of the
following cases to show the formation 25. A 10 cm tall object is placed
of image, when the object is placed: perpendicular to the principal axis of a
(3 marks) convex lens of focal length 12 cm. The
(A) Between optical center and distance of the object from the lens is 18
principal focus of a convex lens. cm. Find the: (3 marks)
(B) Anywhere in front of a concave (A) Position
lens. (B) Nature
(C) At 2F of a convex lens. (C) Size of the image
State the signs and values of
magnifications in the above- 26. State the laws of refraction of light.
mentioned cases (A) and (B). Explain the term absolute refractive
index of a medium and write an
23. An object 4 cm in size is placed at a expression to relate it with the speed of
distance of 25 cm from a concave mirror the light in vacuum. (3 marks)
of focal length 15 cm. At what distance
from the mirror should the screen be 27. Answer the following questions:
kept so that a sharp image of the object (A) A security mirror used in a big
can be obtained on screen? Find the showroom has a radius of
nature and height of the image. curvature 5 m. If a customer is
(3 marks) standing at a distance of 20m from
24. A student holding a mirror in his hand, the cash counter, find the position,
directed the reflecting surface of the nature and size of the image
mirror towards the Sun. He then formed in the security mirror.

(6)
 (B) Neha visited a dentist in his clinic. (A) Use lens formula to find the
She observed that the dentist was distance of the image from the lens.
holding an instrument fitted with a (B) List characteristics of image
mirror. State the nature of this formed.
mirror and reason for its use in the (C) Draw a ray diagram of image
instrument used by dentist. formation by concave lens in above
(5 marks) case. (5 marks)
****
28. Rishi went to a palmist to show his
palm. The palmist used a special lens for
this purpose. (5 marks)
(A) State the nature of the lens and the
reason for its use.
(B) Where should the palmist
place/hold the lens so as to have a
real and magnified image of an
object?
(C) If the focal length of this lens is 10
cm and the lens is held at a distance
of 5 cm from the palm, use the lens
formula to find the position and
size of the image.

29. A 6 cm tall object is placed

perpendicular to the principal axis of a
concave mirror of focal length 30 cm.
The distance of the object from the lens
is 45 cm. Find the position, size and
nature of the image formed, using the
mirror formula. Also draw the ray
diagram to show the formation of the
image in this case. (5 marks)

30. An object is placed at a distance of 60

cm from a concave lens of focal length
30cm.

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 Solutions
1. (A)
A concave mirror is used in a solar 5. (B)
cooker to focus sunlight onto the From the diagram we can see that there
cooking pot. The concave mirror is concave mirror and object is between
reflects and concentrates the sunlight F and P, so in this case formation of
onto the pot, which helps in heating the image takes place behind the mirror and
food quickly and efficiently. The mirror image will highly magnified. The image
is designed to reflect and converge the will be virtual, erect, and upright.
parallel rays of sunlight onto a single Hence, the magnification will be
point, known as the focal point. positive and greater than one.

2. (C) 6. (C)
From diagram we can see that while
passing from A to B, light bends
towards normal. Hence ∠1>∠2.
Through B, it travels in a straight path.
As interface B-C and A-B are parallel,
so ∠2 and ∠3 are equal and alternate
interior angles. When light passes from
To get a magnified and real image, B to C, light moves away from normal,
object should be kept either between 2F so ∠4 is greater than angle ∠3. If we
and F or at F. If it is kept at F, image will extend ray in medium A, it will intersect
form at infinity which cannot be taken actual ray in C which shows that ∠1 is
on screen, so object should be kept less than ∠4.
between 2F and F.
7. (C)
When white light falls on a prism, it
3. (B)
splits into seven colours. The violet
It is a concave lens because in the given
colour bends the most while the red
diagram rays are diverging and concave
colour least. Here in the given figure, y
lens also known as diverging lens.
represents the red colour which is used
to paint the danger signals.
4. (B)
When ray of light travels from medium 8. (C)
A to medium B, there is minimum The sun is at infinity and a converging
difference in refractive index. Thus, the lens (convex lens) converges all
change in speed of light is minimum for incident rays at focus. So, here focal
A-B interface and as a result bending of length f=20 (0.2) m and Power = 1/f =
light is minimum for A-B interface. 1/0.2 = 5D.
(8)
9. (D) travelling from n1 to n2 light bends
Radius of curvature of concave mirror towards the normal, so n2 is greater than
=30 cm. In case of concave mirror n1. Similarly, n3 is greater than n1 and
virtual image is obtained when object is n2.
placed between pole and focus. As,
Radius 30 13. (D)
focal length = = = 15cm. So
2 2 The refractive index is the degree of the
object should be placed in between 15 change of the direction of the light in
cm and o cm (pole). two mediums. The refractive index
c
n=
10. (D) v
R v From the question, it is given that the
We know f = , m=
2 u speed of the light in the air is c = 3 × 108
(m = magnification, v = image distance, m/s
u = object distance) The refractive index of the medium A is
–3u = v (given) nA = 1.5 A that of medium B is nB = 1.33
1 1 1 the velocity of light in medium A is
– =
v u f c
v= = 3 × 108 /1.5 = 2 × 108 m/s the
1 1 1 nA
– – =
3u u 30 c
velocity of light in medium B is n =
3u 1 nB
–u – =
3u 30 = 3 × 108 /1.33 = 2.2 × 108 m/s
4u 1
– 2=
3u 30 14. (C)
3u Object height (h) = 4 cm
– = 30 The mirror is diverging, focal length
4
u = –40 cm f = 10 cm
Object distance u = –30 cm
11. (B) Using mirror formula,
1 1 1u u
In diagram, there is a concave mirror. + = = –1
When an object is placed at C (2f) then n u f n f
the image will be formed at 2f only and  30 
=  –  –1= –4
image will be of same size not enlarged.  10 
Magnification,
12. (D) height v 1
When the light enters from optically m = image = – =
Object height u 4
rarer to optically denser medium, it
h
bends towards the normal. While Image height = = 1cm
4
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15. Refractive index = Speed of light in (iv) Take multiple readings: To minimize
vacuum/Speed of light in medium errors, the student should take
(1Mark) multiple readings of the distance
Let VR is velocity of light in ruby. between the lens and the screen for
1.7 = 3 × 108 / VR ⇒ VR = 1.764 × 108 /s. different positions of the lens. They
(1 Mark) should then calculate the average focal
length from these readings. (½ Mark)
16. Power of a lens is (P) = +5D
focal length of lens (f) = 1/P
1 18.
f = = 0.20m = 20m
P (A) (ii)
Nature of lens = Convex (converging) The concave lens always form
Distance from lens for inverted image of diminished image, but the image formed
same size is 40cm (at C). by lens L1 and L2 is magnified. Hence,
both the lens are convex lens.
17. Here are four precautions a student (B) (iv)
should observe while determining the Magnification = image size/ object sizes
focal length of a given convex lens by This magnification tell us about the
obtaining an image of a distant object on nature of the image based on the sign
a screen: itself. If the ratio is negative then the
(i) Ensure the lens is clean and free from image is real and inverted. Image
dust or smudges: Any debris or smudges formed by L1, is inverted, real and
on the lens can affect the quality of the magnified. Thus, its magnification
image formed and lead to incorrect should be negative and more than 1.
measurements. The student should use a (C) (ii) Magnification = image size/ object
clean, soft cloth to wipe the lens before size This magnification tell us about the
starting the experiment. (½ Mark) nature of the image based on the sign
(ii) Use a distant object: To get accurate itself. If the ratio is negative then the
measurements of the focal length, the image is real and inverted. Image
student should use a distant object such formed by L2, is virtual and enlarged.
as a faraway building or a distant tree. Hence magnification is positive and
This ensures that the light rays are greater than 1.
nearly parallel when they pass through
the lens. (½ Mark) 19. (i) Converging lens (1 Mark)
(iii) Ensure the screen is at the correct (ii) Magnifying glass and microscope
distance: The screen should be placed are two optical instruments where
at a distance equal to the focal length such lenses are used. (1 Mark)
of the lens or slightly closer. (½ Mark) (iii) Three characteristics of the image
formed if this lens is replaced by a

(10)
 concave mirror of focal length ‘f’ 22.
and an object is placed at a distance (A)
f
‘ ’ in front of the mirror.
2
(1 Mark)
(A) Virtual (B) Erect
(C) Magnified
(B)
20. (A)
The refractive index of alcohol is more
than water, therefore, alcohol is
optically denser medium.
(B)

(C)

1 1 1
(C) According to Snell's law, the ratio 23. = +
f u v
of sine of angle of incidence to the sine
1 1 1
of angle of refraction is equal to the  = +
−15 −25 v
constant for a given pair of media.
1 1 1
 + =
21. −15 25 v
(A) According to Snell's law, the ratio of 1 25 −15
 =
sine of angle of incidence to the sine of v −375
angle of refraction is equal to the  v = −37.5cm
constant for a given pair of media.
−v ni
(B) m= =
u no
− ( −37.5) ni
m= =
−25 4
150
hi = = −6cm
25

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24. Hence, the position of the image is 36
(A) To burn the paper student should move cm away from the lens, and the + sign
the mirror in such a way that paper is denotes that the image is real. And the
positioned at the focus of the mirror. size of the image can be determined by
(B) Student have converging type of mirror h v
m= =
that is concave mirror. h u
(C) Yes, he can measure the approximate h 36
value of focal length from this activity  =  h = −20cm
10 −18
as paper will burn when it will be kept
at focus of the mirror, as shown is
26. Snell’s laws of refraction of light :
figure.
(1) : The incident ray, refracted ray and
normal to the refracted surface lie in the
same plane.
(2) : Ratio of the sine of the angle of
incidence in medium 1 to that of the
angle of refraction in medium 2 is equal
to the ratio of the refractive index of
medium 2 to that of 1.
25. Position: 36cm away from lens, nature: sin i n 2
 =
Real and inverted, size: -20cm. The size sin r n 2
of the image is 20cm and negative sign
Absolute refractive index of the medium
denote the nature of image is inverted.
is defined as the refractive index of that
Given,
medium with respect to refractive index
Object height, h = +10cm
of vacuum i.e. ratio of refractive index
Focal length, f = +12cm
of the given medium to that of vacuum.
Object distance, u = –18cm
Absolute refractive index of medium=𝑛
By applying the Lens formula, we get
c
1 1 1 medium/n vacuum = where 𝑣 is the
 − = v
v u f
speed of light in that medium, 𝑐 is the
1 1 1
 − = speed of light in vacuum.
v −18 12
1 1 1
 = − 27. The security mirror is a convex mirror
v 12 18 whose radius of curvature R = +5m or
1 3− 2 R
 = focal length f = = +2.5m , distance
v 36 2
1 1 of object (customer) from the cash
 =
v 36 counter (i.e., the image) u = 20m and as
⇒ v = +36 cm. per sign convention 𝑢 is -ve i.e.,

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 u = –20m. 29.
1 1 1 Given :
As per mirror formula + = , we
v u f h = 6 cm
have f = –30 cm
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 v = –45 cm
= − = − = + =
v f u ( +5) ( −20 ) 5 20 4 by mirror formula
−v −4 1 1 1
= +
 v = 4m and m = = = +0.2
u ( −20) f v u
Thus, image is formed at a distance of 1 1 1
= −
4m behind the security mirror. v f u
The image is virtual, erect and
1 1
diminished one (of magnification 0.2). =− −
30 ( −45)
(B) The mirror used by dentist is a concave
mirror. Dentist used this mirror so as to 1 1 1
form large images of the teeth of =− + =−
30 45 90
patients so that he can examine them
easily and in more details. f = –90cm from the pole if mirror size of
the image
−v
28. m=
(A) The lens used by the palmist is a convex u
lens so as to form a magnified image of 90
= − = −2
an object. 45
(B) The palmist should hold the lens at h1 = –2 × 6cm
focus, or between the focus and the = –12cm
center of curvature of the lens so as to Image formed will be real, inverted and
get the real and magnified image. enlarged.
(C)
1 1 1 30. (A)
− = Object distance, u = –60cm
v u f
Focal length of the lens, f = –30cm
1 1 1
= + Step 2: Finding the image distance
v 5 10
using the lens formula:
1 2 +1
= Using the lens formula, we get
v 10 1 1 1
1 3 = − (where f is the focal length,
= f v u
v 10 v is the image distance, and 𝑢𝑖 s the
v = 3.3cm object distance)

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 1 1 1 1) The image formed is virtual as the given
It can be rearranged as = +
v f u lens is a concave lens.
Substituting the given values, we get 2) The image is erect as it is formed above
1 1 1 the principal axis.
= + 3) Image is diminished (smaller than the
v −30 −60
1 1 1 object).
= − 4) Image is formed at a distance of 20cm
v −30 60
from the optical center of the concave
1 −2 − 1
= lens on the same side of the object.
v 60
(C)
1 −3
=
v 60
1 −1
=
v 20
v = −20cm
Thus, the distance of the image from the
lens is 20cm.

(B) The four characteristics of the image

(nature, position, size, erect/inverted)
formed by the lens in this case are:
***

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