Achleshwar Sankhla-PGT: Physics KV ONGC MEHSANA 7014921947

Chapter 10 “Light : Reflection and Refraction”

Q1. A ray of light is incident on a plane mirror at an angle of 30°. What is the angle between the incident and the reflected
rays?
a) 30° b) 60° c) 90° d) 120°
Answer: b) 60°

Q2. A concave mirror forms an image which is virtual, erect and magnified. Where must the object be placed?
a) At the center of curvature b) Between the focus and pole
c) Beyond the center of curvature d) At the focus
Answer: b) Between the focus and pole

Q3. A 3 cm tall object is placed at 20 cm in front of a concave mirror of focal length 10 cm. What will be the height of the
image formed?
a) –3 cm b) –6 cm c) 6 cm d) 3 cm
Answer: b) –6 cm

Q4. Which of the following correctly describes the image formed by a convex mirror for any position of the object?
a) Real, inverted, diminished b) Virtual, erect, diminished
c) Virtual, inverted, magnified d) Real, erect, same size
Answer: b) Virtual, erect, diminished

Q5. An object is placed 15 cm in front of a mirror. The image is formed 10 cm behind the mirror. What is the focal length
and type of mirror?
a) –6 cm, concave mirror b) –30 cm, concave mirror
c) +30 cm, convex mirror d) +6 cm, convex mirror
Answer: d) +6 cm, convex mirror

Q6. Light enters from air (n=1.0) into water (n=1.33) at an angle of 30°. Which of the following is correct about the refracted
ray?
a) Bends away from the normal b) Bends towards the normal
c) Emerges undeviated d) Gets reflected back
Answer: b) Bends towards the normal

Q7. If the speed of light in glass is 2 × 108 m/s and in vacuum is 3 × 108 m/s, what is the refractive index of glass?
a) 1.33 b) 1.25 c) 1.50 d) 2.00
Answer: c) 1.50

Q8. A convex lens produces a real, inverted image of the same size as the object. What is the position of the object?
a) At 2F b) Between F and 2F c) At F d) Beyond 2F
Answer: a) At 2F

Q9. A student obtains a magnification of +0.5 with a lens. What can be inferred about the image and the lens used?
a) Virtual, diminished; convex lens b) Real, diminished; concave lens
c) Virtual, diminished; concave lens d) Real, enlarged; convex lens
Answer: a) Virtual, diminished; convex lens
Q10. An object is placed 10 cm from a lens and its virtual image is formed at 20 cm from the lens on the same side. What is
the focal length of the lens?
a) –13.3 cm b) +13.3 cm c) –6.6 cm d) +6.6 cm
Answer: a) –13.3 cm
Q11. A lens has a focal length of –25 cm. What is its power and type?
a) –2 D, convex lens b) –4 D, concave lens c) +4 D, convex lens d) +2 D, concave lens
Answer: b) –4 D, concave lens

Q12. A student uses a converging lens to project an image on a screen. When the object is slowly moved from 2F to F, the
image will:
Achleshwar Sankhla-PGT: Physics KV ONGC MEHSANA 7014921947

a) Become larger and move closer to the lens b) Become smaller and move away from the lens
c) Become virtual and upright d) Disappear altogether
Answer: a) Become larger and move closer to the lens

Q13. The image formed by a concave mirror is real, inverted, and twice the size of the object. If the object is at a distance of
10 cm from the mirror, the focal length is:
a) –5 cm b) –10 cm c) –15 cm d) –20 cm
Answer: a) –5 cm

Q14. Which mirror is best suited for use in solar cookers and why?
a) Convex mirror, because it spreads light
b) Plane mirror, because it reflects all light uniformly
c) Concave mirror, because it converges sunlight at one point
d) Any mirror can be used
Answer: c) Concave mirror, because it converges sunlight at one point

Q15. A convex mirror of focal length 15 cm forms an image 5 cm behind the mirror. The object distance is:
a) 10 cm b) 15 cm c) 20 cm d) 7.5 cm
Answer: c) 20 cm

Q16. In an amusement park mirror maze, a boy sees his image as upright, virtual, and of the same size. Which type of
mirror is used?
a) Concave b) Plane c) Convex d) Any spherical mirror
Answer: b) Plane

Q17. A shaving mirror gives an enlarged, erect image. The mirror used and position of face should be:
a) Convex, close to mirror b) Concave, between pole and focus
c) Plane, at any distance d) Concave, beyond focus
Answer: b) Concave, between pole and focus

Q18. When light travels from glass to air, it:

a) Slows down and bends away from normal b) Speeds up and bends towards the normal
c) Speeds up and bends away from the normal d) Slows down and goes straight
Answer: c) Speeds up and bends away from the normal

Q19. A light ray passes from medium A to medium B and bends towards the normal. Which of the following is true?
a) Medium A is denser b) Medium B is denser
c) Both have same optical density d) It depends on angle of incidence
Answer: b) Medium B is denser

Q20. The refractive index of water is 1.33. What does this mean?
a) Light travels 1.33 times faster in water than in vacuum
b) Light travels 1.33 times slower in water than in vacuum
c) Light travels at 1.33 m/s in water
d) Light cannot enter water
Answer: b) Light travels 1.33 times slower in water than in vacuum

Q21. If a ray enters a denser medium at 0° (along the normal), what will be the angle of refraction?
a) 0° b) Greater than 0° c) 90° d) Cannot be determined
Answer: a) 0°

Q22. A concave lens always forms an image that is:

a) Real, inverted, and magnified b) Virtual, erect, and diminished
c) Real, erect, and same size d) Virtual, inverted, and magnified
Answer: b) Virtual, erect, and diminished
Achleshwar Sankhla-PGT: Physics KV ONGC MEHSANA 7014921947

Q23. A convex lens forms a virtual, erect and magnified image. The object is placed:
a) At focus
b) Beyond 2F
c) Between optical center and focus
d) At 2F
Answer: c) Between optical center and focus

Q24. A student obtains an image at a distance of 40 cm behind a lens by placing an object 10 cm in front of it. What is the
focal length of the lens?
a) 8 cm b) 20 cm c) 10 cm d) 30 cm
Answer: b) 20 cm

Q25. A lens produces a magnification of –1. What type of image is formed?

a) Virtual, erect, same size b) Real, inverted, same size
c) Real, erect, same size d) Virtual, inverted, same size
Answer: b) Real, inverted, same size

Q26. A concave lens has focal length –20 cm. What is its power?
a) +5 D b) –5 D c) +2 D d) –2.5 D
Answer: d) –2.5 D

Q27. A convex lens forms a real image 60 cm from the lens when the object is placed at 30 cm. The focal length of the lens
is:
a) 15 cm b) 20 cm c) 10 cm d) 30 cm
Answer: a) 15 cm

Q28. Why does a pencil dipped in water appear bent at the surface?
a) Reflection of light b) Diffraction of light c) Refraction of light d) Absorption of light
Answer: c) Refraction of light

Q29. If the object is moved from infinity to the focus of a concave mirror, what happens to the size of the image?
a) Decreases b) Increases c) Remains same d) First decreases, then increases
Answer: b) Increases

Q30. In which case can a concave mirror form an image of the same size as the object?
a) Object at focus b) Object at center of curvature
c) Object beyond 2F d) Object between focus and mirror
Answer: b) Object at center of curvature

Q31. Which of the following combinations will give zero power?

a) Convex lens of +5 D and convex lens of –5 D b) Concave lens of –2 D and convex lens of +2 D
c) Both a and b d) None
Answer: c) Both a and b

Q32. What is the nature of the image formed on the retina of a human eye?
a) Virtual and erect b) Real and erect c) Real and inverted d) Virtual and inverted
Answer: c) Real and inverted

Competency Based Questions on refraction-

Q33: In the context of refraction, what does Snell's Law mathematically express?

a) The relationship between the angles of incidence and reflection.

b) The constant speed of light in different media.

c) The ratio of the sines of the angles of incidence and

d) The change in frequency of light as it passes through different media.

Achleshwar Sankhla-PGT: Physics KV ONGC MEHSANA 7014921947

Answer: c) The ratio of the sines of the angles of incidence and refraction.

Explanation: Snell's Law states that the ratio of the sines of the angles of incidence and refraction is constant and equal
to the ratio of the refractive indices of the two media.

Q34: What happens to the angle of refraction when light passes from air (n ≈ 1.0) into water (n ≈ 1.33)?

a) The angle of refraction decreases. b) The angle of refraction increases.

c) The angle of refraction remains unchanged. d) The angle of refraction becomes 90°.

Answer: a) The angle of refraction decreases.

Q35: Which of the following phenomena is explained by the refraction of light?

a) The formation of shadows. b) The twinkling of stars.

c) The dispersion of light into a spectrum. d) The formation of rainbows.

Answer: d) The formation of rainbows.

Q36: What is the critical angle in the context of refraction?

a) The angle at which light is completely refracted.

b) The angle at which total internal reflection occurs.

c) The angle at which light passes through without bending.

d) The angle at which light is absorbed by the medium.

Answer: b) The angle at which total internal reflection occurs.

Q37: In optical fibers, why is the refractive index difference between the core and cladding important?

a) It allows light to pass through the fiber without any loss.

b) It ensures that light is confined within the core through total internal reflection.

c) It prevents light from entering the fiber.

d) It causes light to scatter, enhancing signal strength.

Answer: b) It ensures that light is confined within the core through total internal reflection.

CBSE Previous Year Questions

Question 38: The image of a candle flame placed at a distance of 45 cm from a spherical lens is formed on a screen placed
at a distance of 90 cm from the lens. Identify the type of lens and calculate its focal length. If the height of the flame is 2 cm,
find the height of its image. (2024)

Answer: Convex lens; focal length = 30 cm; height of image = 4 cm.

Question 39: A 5 cm tall object is placed at a distance of 20 cm from a concave mirror of focal length 30 cm. Use the mirror
formula to determine the position and size of the image formed. (2020)

Answer: Image formed at 15 cm; size of image = 3.75 cm.

Question 40: List four characteristics of the images formed by plane mirrors. (2019)

Answer: (i) Image distance equals object distance; (ii) Image is virtual and erect; (iii) Image is of the same size as the
object; (iv) Image is laterally inverted.
Achleshwar Sankhla-PGT: Physics KV ONGC MEHSANA 7014921947

Question 41: Draw a labelled ray diagram to show the path of the reflected ray corresponding to an incident ray of light
parallel to the principal axis of a convex mirror. Mark the angle of incidence and angle of reflection on it. (2018)

Answer: Diagram showing incident ray parallel to principal axis, reflected ray diverging, and focal point behind the mirror.

Question 42: One half of a convex lens is covered with black paper. Show the formation of the image of an object placed at
2F1, with the covered lens, using a ray diagram. Mention the position and nature of the image. (2017)

Answer: Image formed is real, inverted, and diminished; position remains unchanged.

🔹 Competitive Exam Questions

1. NEET 2024:

Question 43: The absolute refractive index of glass and water is 3/2 and 4/3 respectively. If the speed of light in glass is 2 ×
10⁸ m/s, what is the speed of light in water? Answer: 52 × 10⁸ m/s.

2. JEE Main 2023:

Question 44: A ray of light passes through the centre of curvature of a concave mirror. What is the angle of incidence and
angle of reflection? Answer: Angle of incidence = 0°, Angle of reflection = 0°.

3. NTSE 2022:

Question 45: A 3 cm high object is placed at a distance of 80 cm from a concave lens of focal length 20 cm. Find the size of
the image formed. Answer: 0.6 cm.

4. JEE Advanced 2021:

Question 46: A 4 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a convex lens of focal length 24 cm. The
distance of the object from the lens is 16 cm. Find the position, size, and nature of the image formed, using the lens
formula. Answer: Position of image: 48 cm; Size of image: 12 cm; Nature: Virtual and erect.

5. NEET 2020:

Question 47: A student focussed the image of a candle flame on a white screen using a convex lens. He noted down the
positions of the candle flame, screen, and the lens as given below: Position of the candle flame = 12.0 cm; Position of the
lens = 50.0 cm; Position of the screen = 88.0 cm. Find the focal length of the convex lens.

Answer: Focal length = 19 cm.

By Achleshwar Sankhla

A student is standing near the bank of a Lake in the afternoon. He saw his image and the fishes in the lake.

Question 48: Which phenomena was not observed by the student-

(a) Reflection (b) Refraction (c) Dispersion (d) Scattering

Question 49: Bottom of the lake is observed by the student

(a) At its actual level (b) Above from the actual

(c) Below from the actual (d) None of the above

Question 50: Speed of light in air is 3 x 108 ms-1. What will be its speed in water?

Question 51: If angle of incidence is 30o then what will be angle of refraction in water?

Question 52: At what angle there will be no refraction and why?

Achleshwar Sankhla-PGT: Physics KV ONGC MEHSANA 7014921947