Light Notes
Light Notes
A ray of light which is incident normally on a mirror is reflected back along the same path, because the
angle of incidence as well as the angle of reflection for such a ray of light are zero.
The law of reflection of light apply to all kinds of mirrors, plane mirrors as well as spherical mirrors like
concave and convex mirrors.
Use of laws of reflection:
By using the laws of reflection, it is easy to find out the nature and position of the images formed by the
various types of mirrors.
Types of reflections:
Reflections are generally two types: 1) Regular reflection 2) Diffuse reflection.
S.No Regular Reflection Diffuse Reflection
1. If a parallel beam of incident light is If a parallel beam of incident light
reflected as a parallel beam in one direction is reflected in different directions is
is called regular reflection. called diffuse reflection.
2.
Object: Anything which gives out light rays either its own or reflected by it is called an object.
Image: it is an optical appearance produced when light rays coming from an object are reflected form
a mirror.
Pole: The centre of the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror is a point called the pole.
It lies on the surface of the mirror. The pole is usually represented by the letter ‘P’.
Center of curvature: The center of the hallow glass sphere formed by the spherical mirror is called center
of curvature. It is denoted by letter ‘C’.
It lies outside its reflecting surface.
Radius of curvature: The radius of the sphere of which the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror is called
the radius of curvature of the mirror. It is represented by the letter ‘R’.
Principal axis: The imaginary line that passes through the pole and the center of curvature of the spherical
mirror is called the principal axis.
Principal axis is normal to the mirror at its pole.
Principal focus of the concave mirror: The principal focus of a concave mirror is a point on its principal
axis to which all the light rays which are parallel and close to the axis, converge after reflection from the
concave mirror.
Principal focus of the convex mirror: The principal focus of a convex mirror is a point on its principal axis
from which a beam of light rays, initially parallel to the axis, appears to diverge after being reflected from
the convex mirror.
Rule 2: A ray of light passing through the focus of a concave mirror becomes parallel to the principal axis
after reflection.
Rule 3: A ray of light passing through the center of curvature of a concave mirror is reflected back along
the same path.
Rule 4: A ray of light which is incident at the pole of a concave mirror is reflected back making the same
angle with the principal axis.
S.No. Position of the Position of the image Size of the image Nature of the
object image
1. At infinity At the focus ‘F’ Point size, highly Real and
diminished inverted
2. Beyond C Between ‘F’ and ‘C’ diminished Real and
inverted
3. At ‘C’ At ‘C’ Same size Real and
inverted
Ray diagrams of image formation by the concave mirror at different positions of object:
Rule 2: A ray of light going towards the focus of a convex mirror becomes parallel to the principal axis
after reflection.
Rule 3: A ray of light going towards the center of curvature of a convex mirror is reflected back along the
same path.
Rule 4: A ray of light which is incident at the pole of a convex mirror is reflected back making the same
angle with the principal axis.
S.No. Position of the Position of the image Size of the image Nature of the
object image
Where v= image
distance u = object
distance f = focal length
Linear magnification:
The ration of the height of image to the height of object is known as linear magnification.
Or
The ratio of the image distance to the object distance, with a minus sign.
ℎ 𝑣
𝑚==−ℎ
𝑢
Where m =
magnification hi= height
of the image ho= height
of the object v= image
distance u= object
distance
Note:
1. If m has positive sign (m +ve), then image is virtual and erect.
2. If m has negative sign (m -ve),, then image is real and inverted.
3. If m value greater than one (m > 1),, the image is enlarged.
4. If m value less than one (m<1), the image is diminished.
5. If m equals to one (m =1), the image is same as that of the object.
REFRACTION
Refraction of Light:
The bending of light when it goes from one medium to another obliquely is called refraction of light.
Cause of refraction:
The refraction of light is due to the change in the speed of light on going from one medium to another.
The speed of light is different in different media.
For Example, the speed of light in air is 3 X 108 m/s whereas that is glass is 2 X 108 m/s.
Greater the difference in the speeds of light in the two media, greater will be the amount of refraction of
light.
Explanation of change in speed at boundary:
According wave theory of light, a beam of light is made up of tiny waves. When a beam of light consisting
of light waves and travelling in the certain medium falls obliquely on the boundary of another medium,
then one part of the light wave enters into the other medium first and its speed changes first but the rest of
the waves enters other medium a little later and hence its speed of light wave on the side of the beam of
light changes a little before the change in the speed of light wave on its another side causes a change in the
direction of light.
A medium in which the speed of light is less is known as optically denser medium.
Refraction of light when it goes from a rarer medium to a denser medium:
When a ray of light goes from a rarer medium to a denser medium, it bends towards the normal.
Refraction of light when it goes from a denser medium to a rarer medium:
When a ray of light goes from a denser medium to a rarer medium, it bends away from the normal.
• A ray of light ‘AE’ travelling in air is incident on a rectangular glass slab ‘PQRS’ at point E.
• On entering the glass slab, it gets refracted along ‘EF’ and bends towards the normal ‘MN’.
• Then, the refracted ray of light ‘EF’ travelling in glass emergence into air at point ‘F’ as an
emergent ray ‘FD’.
• This emergent ray bends away from the normal ‘MʹNʹ’
• It is observed that the emergent ray (FD) is parallel to the direction of the incident ray (AE),
because the extent of bending of ray of light at point ‘E’ and ‘F’ on the opposite, parallel faces (PQ
and SR) of the rectangular glass slab is equal and opposite.
• However, the light ray is shifted sideward slightly.
• The perpendicular distance between the original path of incident ray and the emergent ray coming
out of the glass is called lateral displacement.
• Here, the angle of incidence and the angel of emergence are equal.
Note:
If the incident ray falls normally to the surface of a glass slab, then there is no bending of the ray of
light, and it goes straight.
The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is constant for a given pair of
media.
sin 𝑖
= 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
sin 𝑟
Where, ‘i’ is the angle of incidence and ‘r’ is the angle of refraction.
This constant value is called refractive index (n).
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.
𝑣
𝑛 =
𝑣
The refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2 is given by the ratio of the speed of light in
medium 2 and the speed of light in medium 1.
𝑣
𝑛 =
𝑣
Where, 𝑛 is the refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2;
𝑛 is the refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium 1;
𝑣 is the speed of light in medium-1,
𝑣 is the speed of light in medium-2.
Refractive index has no unit.
When light is going from one medium to another medium, then the value of refractive index is called the
relative refractive index.
When light is going from vacuum /air to another medium, then the value of refractive index is called the
absolute refractive index or simply refractive index.
𝑐
𝑛 =
𝑣
Where nm is the refractive index of the
medium, c is the speed of light in vacuum or
air, v is the speed of light in medium.
Optical center:
The center point of a lens is known as its optical center. It is donated by the letter ‘O’.
The optical center of a lens has a property that a ray of light passing through it does not suffer any
deviation and goes straight.
Center of curvature:
The center of the spherical surfaces of the lens are called center of curvature. It is denoted by the letter
‘C’.
Since there are two centres of curvature, we may represent them as C 1 and C2.
Aperture:
The aperture of the spherical lens is the surface from which refraction of light takes place through the lens.
Principal axis:
The principal axis of a lens is a line passing through the optical center of the lens and perpendicular to the
both faces of the lens.
In general lens has two foci. The two foci of a lens are at equal distances from the optical center, one on
either side of the lens. These are denoted by the F1 and F2.
Principal focus of a convex lens:
It is a point on its principal axis to which light rays parallel to the principal axis converge after passing
through the convex lens.
Convex lens has real focus.
Focal length:
It is the distance between optical center and principal focus of the lens.
Rules for obtaining images formed by convex lenses:
Rule 1:A ray of light which is parallel to the principal axis of a convex lens, passes through its focus after
refraction through the lens.
Rule 2: A ray of light passing through the optical center of a convex lens goes straight after refraction
through the lens.
Rule 3: Passing through a focus of a convex lens becomes parallel to its principle axis after refraction
through the lens.
Ray diagrams of image formation by the convex lens at different positions of object:
Rule 2: A ray of light passing through the optical center of a concave lens goes straight after passing
through the lens.
Rule 3: A Ray of light going towards the focus of a concave lens becomes parallel to its principal axis
after refraction through the lens.
Ray diagrams of image formation by the concave lens at different positions of object:
Where v= image
distance u = object
distance f = focal length
Linear magnification:
The ration of the height of image to the height of object is known as linear magnification.
Or
The ratio of the image distance to the object distance.
ℎ 𝑣
𝑚= =
ℎ
𝑢
Where m =
magnification hi= height
of the image ho= height
of the object v= image
distance u= object
distance
Note:
1. If m has positive sign (m +ve), then image is virtual and erect.
2. If m has negative sign (m -ve), then image is real and inverted.
3. If m value greater than one (m > 1), the image is enlarged.
4. If m value less than one (m<1), the image is diminished.
5. If m equals to one (m =1), the image is same as that of the object.
Power of a Lens:
The measure of the degree of convergence or divergence of light rays falling on it is called power of a
lens.
Or
It is also defined as the reciprocal of its focal length in metres.
1
𝑃=
𝑓
Where p = power of the lens, f =
focal length of the lens (in meters)
The unit of power of a lens is
dioptre.
One dioptre is the power of a lens whose focal length is 1 meter.
The power of a convex lens is positive.
The power of a concave lens is negative.
Power of a combination of lenses:
If a number of lenses are placed in close contact, then the power of the combination of lenses is equal to
the algebraic sum of the powers of individual lenses.
Formula: 𝑃 = 𝑃 + 𝑃
Problem 1:
A beam of light passes from air into a substance X. If the angle of incidence be 72 o and the angle of
refraction be 400. Calculate refractive index of substance X. (Given: sin 720 = 0.951 and sin 400 = 0.642)
Problem 2:
Light enters from air into a glass plate having refractive index 1.50. What is the speed of light in glass?
(The speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 108 m/s).
Problem 3:
If they refractive index of water for light going from air to water be 1.33, what Will be the refractive index
for light going from water to air?
Problem 4:
The refractive indices of kerosene, turpentine and water 1.44, 1.47, 1.33 respectively, in which of these
materials does light travel fast?
Problem 5:
Where an object should be placed so that aerial and inverted image of the same size is obtained by a
convex lens?
(a) at the focus of the lens. (b) at the twice the focal length. (c) at Infinity. (d) between the optical
center of the lens and its focus.
Problem 6:
A convex lens has focal length of 20 cm. Where an object should be placed in front of this convex lens so
as to obtain an image which is real, inverted and same size as the object? Draw the ray diagram to show
the formation of image in this case.
Problem 7:
An object is placed at the following distances from a convex lens of focal length 10cm:
(a) 8 cm (b) 15 cm (c) 20 cm (d) 25 cm,
Find the position, Size and nature of the Image.
Problem 8:
Which of the following lens would you prefer to use while reading small letters found in a dictionary?
(a) A convex lens of focal length 50 cm.
(b) A concave lens of focal length 50 cm.
(c) A convex lens of focal length 5 cm.
(d) A concave lens of focal length 5 cm.
Problem 9:
Convex lens of focal length 10 cm is placed at a distance of 12 cm from a wall. How far from the lens
should be an object be placed so as to form its real image on the wall?
Problem 10:
If an object of 7 cm height is placed at a distance of 12 cm from a convex lens of focal length 8 cm, find
the position, nature and height of the image.
Problem 11:
The magnification produced by a spherical lens is + 2.5 What is the nature of image and nature of lens?
Problem 12:
An object is placed at a distance of 50 cm from a concave lens of focal length 20cm . Find the nature and
position of the image.
Problem 13:
An object placed 50 cm from a lens produces a virtual image at a distance of 10 cm in front of the lens.
Draw ray diagram to show the formation of image. Calculate focal length of the lens and magnification
produced?
Problem 14:
The magnification produced by a spherical lens is +0.75. What is the nature of image and nature of lens.
Problem 15: