10

LIGHT-REFLECTION AND
REFRACTION
LIGHT-REFRACTION AND REFLECTION 2

Previous Year Questions

1. The laws of reflection hold true for:

5. Three students A, B and C focussed a distant building on
(a) plane mirrors only (b) concave mirrors only
a screen with the help of a concave mirror. To
(c) convex mirrors only (d) all reflecting surfaces determine focal length of the concave mirror
they measured the distances as given below:
[CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2020] Student A: From mirror to the screen.
2. When an object is kept within the focus of a concave Student B: From building to the screen.
mirror, an enlarged image is formed behind the mirror. Student C: From building to the mirror.
This image is: Who measured the focal length correctly?
(a) real (a) Only A (b) Only B
(c) A and B (d) B and C
(b) inverted [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]

(c) Virtual and inverted 6. A student obtains a blurred image of a distant object on a
(d) Virtual and erect screen using a convex lens. To obtain a distinct image on
the screen he should move the lens
[CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2020] (a) away from the screen
3. A real image is formed by the light rays after reflection or (b) towards the screen
refraction when they:
(A) actually meet or intersect with each other. (c) to a position very far away from the screen.

(B) actually converge at a point. (d) either towards or away from the screen depending
upon the position of the object.
(C) appear to meet when they are produced in the
backward direction. [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]

(D) appear to diverge from a point. 7. The correct sequencing of angle of incidence, angle of
emergence, angle of refraction and lateral
Which of the above statements are correct? displacement shown in the following diagram by
digits 1, 2, 3 and 4 is:
(a) (A) and (D) (b) (B) and (D)
(c) (A) and (B) (d) (B) and (C)
[CBSE Delhi, Set 3, 2020]

4. Consider the following properties of virtual images:

(A) cannot be projected on the screen

(B) are formed by both concave and con vex lens

(C) are always erect

(a) 2, 4, 1, 3 (b) 2, 1, 4, 3
(D) are always inverted
(c) 1, 2, 1, 4, 3 (d) 2, 1, 3, 4
The correct properties are:
[CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]
(a) (A) and (D)
8. To determine the approximate value of the focal length of
(b) (A) and (B) a given concave mirror, you focus the image of a
(c) (A), (B) and (C) distant object formed by the mirror on a screen. The
image obtained on the screen, as compared to the object
(d) (A), (B) and (D) is always:
[CBSE Delhi, Set 3, 2020] (a) Laterally inverted and diminished
 LIGHT REFRACTION AND REFLECTION 3

(b) Inverted and diminished

(c) Erect and diminished
(d) Erect and highly diminished
[CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
(a) MW (b) MS
9. Suppose you have focused on a screen the image of
candle flame placed at the farthest end of the laboratory (c) SW (d) MW – MS
table using a convex lens. If your teacher suggests you to [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
focus the parallel rays of the sun, reaching your
laboratory table, on the same screen, what you are 13. The absolute refractive index of Ruby is 1.7. Find the
expected to do is to move the: speed of light in Ruby. The speed of light in vacuum is
(a) lens slightly towards the screen 3×108 m/s.
[CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
(b) lens slightly away from the screen

(c) lens slightly towards the sun 14. Draw the path of a ray of light when it enters one of the
faces of a glass slab at an angle of nearly 45°. Label on it
(d) lens and screen both towards the sun (i) angle of refraction, (ii) angle of emergence and (iii)
lateral displacement.
[CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
[CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
10. A student obtained a sharp image of a candle flame
placed at the distant end of the laboratory table on a 15. List four precautions which a student should observe
screen using a concave mirror to determine its while determining the focal length of a given convex
focal length. The teacher suggested him to focus a lens by obtaining image of a distant object on a screen.
distant building about 1 km far from the laboratory, for [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2019]
getting more correct value of the focal length. In order to
focus the distant building on the same screen the student 16. If the image formed by a spherical mirror for all positions
should slightly move the: of the object placed in front of it is always erect and
(a) mirror away from the screen diminished, what type of mirror is it? Draw a labelled ray
diagram to support your answer.
(b) screen away from the mirror [CBSE, 2018]
(c) screen towards the mirror
17. An object is placed at a distance of 30 cm from a concave
(d) screen towards the building lens of focal length 15 cm. List four characteristics
(nature, position, etc.) of the image formed by the lens.
[CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
[CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]
11. To determine the approximate focal length of the given
convex lens by focussing a distant object (say, a 18. The diagram given below shows an object O and its
sign board), you try to focus the image of the object on a image I.
screen. The image you obtain on the screen is always:
(a) erect and laterally inverted
(b) erect and diminished
(c) inverted and diminished
(d) virtual, inverted and diminished
Without actually drawing the ray diagram, state the
[CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
following :
12. A student obtains a sharp image of the distant window
(i) Type of lens (Converging/Diverging)
(W) of the school laboratory on the screen (S) using
the given concave mirror (M) to determine its focal (ii) Name two optical instruments where such an image
length. Which of the following distance should he is obtained.
measure to get the focal length of the mirror?
 LIGHT REFRACTION AND REFLECTION 4

(iii) List three characteristics of the image formed if this (iii) If the focal length of this lens is 10 cm and the lens
lens is replaced by a concave mirror of focal length ‘f’ is held at a distance of 5 cm from the palm, use lens
and an object is placed at a distance ‘f/2’ in front of the formula to find the position and size of the image.
mirror.
[CBSE OD, Set 1, 2020]
[CBSE OD, Set 1, 2020]
24. A 6 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal
19. (a) Water has refractive index 1.33 and alcohol has axis of a concave mirror of focal length 30 cm. The
refractive index 1.36. Which of the two medium distance of the object from the mirror is 45 cm. Use
is optically denser? Give reason for your answer. mirror formula to determine the position, nature and size
(b) Draw a ray diagram to show the path of a ray of light of the image formed. Also draw labelled ray diagram to
passing obliquely from water to alcohol. show the image formation in this case.
[CBSE OD, Set 3, 2019]
(c) State the relationship between angle of incidence and
angle of refraction in the above case.
25. An object is placed at a distance of 60 cm from a concave
[CBSE OD, Set 2, 2020] lens of focal length 30 cm.
(i) Use lens formula to find the distance of the image
20. Differentiate between a glass slab and a glass prism. from the lens.
What happens when a narrow beam of (i) a (ii) List four characteristics of the image (nature, position,
monochromatic light, and (ii) white light passes through size, erect/inverted) formed by the lens in this case.
(a) glass slab and (b) glass prism? (iii) Draw ray diagram to justify your answer of part (ii).
[CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2020] [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2019]

21. A student holding a mirror in his hand, directed the

reflecting surface of the mirror towards the Sun. He then
direc ted the reflected light on to a sheet of paper held
close to the mirror.
(a) What should he do to burn the paper?
(b) Which type of mirror does he have?
(c) Will he be able to determine the approximate value
of focal length of this mirror from this activity?
Give reason and draw ray diagram to justify your answer
in this case.
[CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
22. (a) A security mirror used in a big showroom has radius
of curvature 5 m. If a customer is standing at a distance
of 20 m from the cash counter, find the position,
nature and size of the image formed in the security
mirror.
(b) Neha visited a dentist in his clinic. She observed that
the dentist was holding an instrument fitted with a mirror.
State the nature of this mirror and reason for its use in
the instrument used by dentist.
[CBSE OD, Set 1, 2020]

23. Rishi went to a palmist to show his palm. The palmist

used a special lens for this purpose.
(i) State the nature of the lens and rea son for its use.
(ii) Where should the palmist place/ hold the lens so as
to have a real and magnified image of an object ?
 LIGHT REFRACTION AND REFLECTION 5

Solutions:
1. (d) all reflecting surfaces 16. Convex mirror always forms erect and diminished image.
2. (d) Virtual and erect
3. (c) (A) and (B)
4. (c) (A), (B) and (C)
5. (a) Only A
6. (d) either towards or away from the screen depending
upon the position of the object.
7. (b) 2, 1, 4, 3
8. b) Inverted and diminished
9. (a) lens slightly towards the screen
10. c) screen towards the mirror
11. (c) inverted and diminished In the above ray diagram, the image formed is behind the
mirror between pole (P) and focus (F), virtual, erect and
12. (b) MS
diminished.
13. We know that
17. Given: u = – 30 cm, f = – 15 cm. (for concave lens)
Refractive index of ruby(μ)
1 1 1
Speed of light in air or vacumm  We know that,  
 v u f
Speed of light in ruby
1 1 1
3 108  
So,1.70  v  30   15 
Speed of light in ruby
1 1 1
3 108 1  
Or speed of light in ruby  ms v 15 30
1.7 1 2  1 3 1
= 1.76 ×108 ms–1   
v 30 30 10
Thus, speed of light in ruby is 1.76 × 108 ms–1  v  10cm
14.
Characteristics of image:
(i) The image is formed at a distance of 10 cm from the
concave lens on the left side.
(ii) Image formed is virtual.
(iii) Image formed is erect.
(iv) The size of the image formed is diminished.
18. (i) Converging
(ii) (1) Simple Microscope.

15. Precautions are as follows: (2) Magnifying Glass

(i) Fix the lens vertically in lens holder. (iii) The image formed will be behind the mirror,
(ii) Base of lens and white screen should be in a line with enlarged, virtual and erect.
measuring scale. 19. (a) Refractive index of alcohol > refractive index of
water. So, alcohol is optically denser than water. When a
(iii) There should not be any obstacle in path of lens. ray of light enters from water to alcohol, it bends towards
(iv) Record the position of lens and screen when sharp the normal. Greater the refractive index, denser the liquid
image is formed. or material.
(b)
 LIGHT REFRACTION AND REFLECTION 6

(c) Angle of incidence > Angle of refraction. A concave mirror forms a real image of the sun.
22. (a) We know that convex mirror is used in security
sin i mirrors. A customer is standing at a distance of 20 m
C
sin r (object distance ) and radius of curvature of mirror is 5 m
Given,
20. Differentiation between a glass slab and a glass prism
Radius of curvature, R = + 5 m
Glass slab Glass prism
Object distance, u = – 20 m

Emergent ray Emergent ray bends at an angle Image distance, v = ?

is parallel to the to the direction of incident ray. Height of image, h’ = ?
incident ray.
R 5
Focal length, f  
The ratio of sin i/sin As the angle of incidence is 2 2
r remains constant. increased, the angle of deviation
Hence, the graph first decreases passing through 1 1 1
Sin ce,  
between them is a minimum and then increases. v u f
straight line.
1 2

f 5
(i) (a) When a narrow beam of mono chromatic light
passes through a glass slab, it get refracted and displaced 1 1 1
or  
from its original path. v f u
(b) When a narrow beam of mono chromatic light passes
through a glass prism, it get refracted and deviates from 2 1
 
its original path. 5 20
(ii) (a) When a narrow beam of white light passes through 8 1 9
a glass slab, refraction occurs at the first face  
and light get dispersed into its constituent colours. When 20 20
the constituent colours strike the second face, they 1 9
 
recombine and emerges out as a white light. v 20
(b) When a narrow beam of white light passes through a
20
glass prism, it gets refracted and split into its constituent  v   2.22m
colours. 9
Ans. (a) He should place the sheet of paper at the focus
The image is 2.22 m at the back of minor
of the mirror to burn the paper.
(b) He has a concave mirror. h v
21. (c) Yes, the sheet of paper will start burning at the focus Magnification, m  
of the mirror which will give approximate value of focal h u
length, i.e., the distance between mirror and the focal
2.22
point where the sheet of paper starts burning.    0.11
20
 LIGHT REFRACTION AND REFLECTION 7

(b) Concave mirrors are commonly used in torches, Thus, v = -90 cm.
search-lights and vehicles headlights to get powerful Also, we have
parallel beams of light. The dentists use concave mirrors hi −v
to see large images of the teeth of patients. m= =
ho u
hi −( − 90)
23. (i) The nature of lens used for this purpose is convex =
lens because it produces a magnified image of the palm. 6 −45
So, hi = -12 cm.
(ii) There are two cases for which a real and magnified
Image is real and inverted.
image of object is obtained in convex lens :
(a) When the object is placed at focus of the lens.
(b) When the object is placed between focus and centre
of curvature of the lens.
(iii) Given, f = 10 cm
u = – 5 cm
1 1 1
we know,  
f v u
1 1 1
  
10 v 5
1 1 1
   1 1
25. (i) = � − �
1
[Lens Formula]
10 v 5 �

1 1 1 Here, u = -60 cm
   And f = -30 cm (Concave lens)
v 10 5
So, putting the values in the lens formula,
1 1 2
  1 1 1
v 10  
 30  60 v
1 1
   2 1 1
v 10 
60 v
v  10cm
The image is formed 10 cm away from the lens on the 1 1

same side of the object and would be enlarged, virtual v 20
and erect.  v  20cm
hi v 10
m   2 v  20
ho u 5 m   0.33
u  60
So, the size of image is 2 times larger than the size of (ii) So, the image formed will be virtual, erect, small in
object. size and image will be formed 20 cm from lens on the
same side as the object.
24. Given, (iii)
Height of the object, ho = 6 cm
Focal length, f = – 30 cm
Object distance, u = – 45 cm
Image distance, v =?
Height of image, hi =?
We have,
1 1 1
= +
� � �
1 1 1
= +
−30 � −45
1 −3 + 2
=
� 90