LIGHT- EXERCISE

Short/Long Answer Questions

1.State the speed of light in (a) air, (b) water, and (c) glass
Speed of light in
Air — 3 × 108 m/s
Water — 2.25 × 108 m/s
Glass — 2 × 108 m/s
2.How does the speed of light determine the optical density of a medium ? If
the speed of light in a medium is less than speed of light in air, this means the
medium is denser than air.
If speed of light is more than speed of light in AIR, this means the medium
is less denser than air.
3.Which is optically denser: water or air? Give reason.
water is optically denser as speed of light is less in water.
speed of light in Water is less than the speed of light in Air.
4.Out of air and glass, which is optically rarer? Give reason.
Air is rarer speed of light in air is more than speed of light in glass.
speed of light in air is greater than the speed of light in glass
5.What do you understand by refraction of light?
The change in direction of path of light when it passes from one transparent
medium to another is called refraction of light.”
6.Describe an experiment to show that a light ray bends when it passes from one
transparent medium into another transparent medium.
AWAY from normal.
7.Draw a ray diagram to show that the depth of a vessel containing water when
seen from above, appears to be less than its real depth.
Done in note book.
8.Define the following terms :
Incident ray, Refracted ray, Angle of incidence, Angle of refraction.
INCIDENT RAY : “A ray of light falling on the surface separating the two
media.”
REFRACTED RAY : A ray of light which after passing first medium is in
second medium
“A ray of light travelling in one transparent medium to other
transparent medium in the changed direction.”
ANGLE OF INCIDENCE : “The angle which the incident ray makes with the
normal is called angle of incidence.” i.e. ∠i
ANGLE OF REFRACTION : “The angle which the refracted ray makes with
the normal is called angle of refraction.” i.e. ∠r

9.A ray of light falls normally on a glass slab. What is the angle of
incidence? When a ray of light falls on a glass slab normally, angle between
normal and incident ray is zero.
∴ Angle of incidence is zero.

10.A ray of light travels from a rarer medium to a denser medium. How will
it bend ?
When a ray of light travels from a RARER medium to a DENSER medium, it
bends TOWARDS the normal.

11.A ray of light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium. How will
it bend ?
When a ray of light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium it will bend
away from normal.

12.The diagram given below in fig shows a ray of light AO falling on a

surface separating two media. Draw the refracted ray in each, case.
Refracted ray 0 C is shown in each case.
(a)

Towards the normal or ∠r < ∠i

(b)

Away from the normal or ∠r > ∠i

(C)

Refracted ray goes un deviated

∠i = 0 ∠r = 0
13.Draw a diagram showing the refraction of a light ray from water to
glass. Label on it the incident ray, the angle of incidence (/), and the angle
of refraction (r).
Water is rarer than glass.
Light travels from water to glass mean light travels from a rarer to a
denser medium.
The incident ray is AO.
Angle of incidence is ∠i and Angle of refraction is ∠r
14.The diagram in figure shows a ray of light AO falling on a rectangular
glass slab PQRS. Complete the diagram till the ray of light emerges out of the
slab. Label on the diagram the incident ray, the refracted ray and the emergent
ray.

15.Explain the following :

(a) A coin placed at the bottom of a vessel appears to be raised when water
is poured in the vessel.
(b) A straight stick partly dipped in water obliquely, appears to be bent at
the surface of water.
(c) The sun is seen before the sunrise and after the sunset.
(a) The coin at a appears to be at B i. e. depth of coin observed is less than
actual depth at A.
The ray of light starting from A (denser) medium bends away from the normal.
Due to Refraction of light the coin appears at B at a lower depth. Hence in the
same way the depth of water appear to be less deep.

(b) The phenomenon is due to REFRACTION OF LIGHT when light passing

from denser (water) medium to (Air) rarer medium appears to come from Q’
Virtual image in spite of Q. Same is true for any other point of stick inside
water. Stick appears to be raised or bent.

(c)

EARLY SUNRISE and SUNSET: At sun rise : When the Sun is just below the
horizon, the light from the Sun suffers refraction from RARER to DENSER
medium (As atmosphere is warmer than layers near the earth at that time) bends
towards the normal at each refraction. Due to continuous bending of light rays,
the Sun can be seen even when its actual positions just below the Horizon. As a
result, the Sun is seen in advance, two minutes before it rises above the horizon
in the morning.
Similarly, in the evening Sun is seen delayed by 2 minutes longer above the
horizon after the Sun set.
16.What is mirage? Give a reason for its formation?
Hot sand (Rarer medium)
When it is very hot, an inverted image of tree is seen which is ‘illusion of eye’
(gives a false impression) of water under the tree. This is called a mirage.”

reason: sand becomes very hot during hot noon, the layers of air in contact
become rarer (expand) while upper layers of air are still at comparatively low
temperature and are denser medium.
when rays of light from denser to rarer medium (starting from tree) are bent
away from normal when refracted from rarer to denser medium (going towards
eye) bend towards normal and a tree appears inverted.

18.What do you mean by the term dispersion?

The splitting or breaking up of the white light into its constituent colours as it
passes through a refracting medium such as prism is known as dispersion.
Diagram from text book.5.14
19.A ray of white light falls on a prism. Draw a ray diagram to show that
the prism disperses the white light.
Diagram from text book.5.14
20.In figure AO is the ray of white light falling on a prism PQR. Complete the
diagram till the light emerges out from the prism and falls on the screen. ‘The
white light splits up into seven colours which are seen on the screen and
arrangement of colours from bottom to top is
given by the word ‘VIBGYOR’. (Text book page number-86 , Figure :5.14)
21.What do you understand by the term spectrum? Name the various colours
present in the spectrum of sunlight.
Spectrum is the band of colours obtained on a screen when white light passes
through a prism and splits into its constituent colours. The colours of the
spectrum are violet (V), indigo (1), blue (B), green (G), yellow (Y), orange (O),
and red (R).
The order of the spectrum is VIBGYOR.
22.You are given a disc divided into seven sectors with colours violet, indigo,
blue, green, yellow, orange and red in them. What would be its colour when it is
rotated rapidly?
Newton’s colour disc— It is a circular disc taken by Newton to demonstrate that
the recombination of seven colours produce white light. A circular card board
disc which is divided into seven sectors and they were painted with the seven
colours of VIBGYOR. The disc when rotated at a very high speed appears
white.
23.State the two laws of reflection of light.
(1) The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal ray at the point
of incidence, lie in the same plane.
(2) The angle of incidence i is equal to the angle of reflection
r i.e. ∠i = ∠r
24.What is a spherical mirror?
Spherical mirror. “A mirror which is made from a part of a hollow sphere
is called spherical mirror.
25.State the two kinds of spherical mirror and distinguish them with the aid of
proper diagrams.
the kinds of spherical mirrors are:
(i) concave mirror
(ii) convex mirror
IN concave mirror: silvered surface is away from centre of curvature and focal
length is negative, i.e., reflecting surface is towards centre of curvature. in
convex mirror: silvered surface is towards the centre of curvature and focal
length is positive i.e. reflecting surface is away from the centre of curvature. it
always forms diminished (small) image which is virtual.
26.Explain the following terms:
Pole, Centre of curvature, Radius of curvature, Principal axis. Show them on
separate diagrams for each of the concave and convex mirrors. Pole: the
geometric centre of spherical mirror is called pole.

Centre of curvature: Centre of curvature is the centre of hollow sphere of which

the mirror forms a part.” it is represented by the symbol C.
radius of curvature : “is the radius of hollow sphere of which the mirror is a
part”. it is represented by ‘R’
Principal axis: “is a straight line joining the pole of the mirror to its centre
of curvature and extended further.”
27.What do you understand about the focus and focal length of a spherical
mirror? show them on the separate diagrams for each of a concave mirror and a
convex mirror.
Focus : for concave mirror

“Is a point on the principal axis at which the light rays incident parallel to the
principal axis meet after reflection from the mirror.
Focal length: “the distance between focus and pole.
Focus: “of a convex mirror is a point on its principal axis at which the light rays
incident parallel to the principal axis appear to meet after reflection from the
mirror”.

Focal length: “The distance between Pole and Focus.

28.Draw suitable diagrams to illustrate how a beam of light incident parallel to
the principal axis is reflected by:
(a) a concave mirror, and (b) a convex mirror
diagram from text book: fig 5.23
29.How is a spherical mirror used to converge a beam of light at a point? Name
the type of mirror used.
If a parallel beam of light is incident on a concave mirror, it converges the beam
to a point called focus.
Type of mirror used is concave. Fig: 5.20

30.How is a spherical mirror used to diverge a beam of light from a point?

Name the type of mirror used.

Fig: 5.20
In the case of convex mirrors, the reflected rays diverge and do not meet at a
point after reflection. They appear to come from a point’ F' on the principal
axis. The type of mirror used is convex mirror.
32.How is the focal length of a spherical mirror related to its radius of
curvature?
Focal length = Radius of curvature / 2
Or 2 f = R
33.The diagram (figure) given below shows two parallel rays 1 and 2 incident
on (a) a concave mirror, (b) a convex mirror. Draw the reflected rays and mark
the focus by the symbol F.

(a) A concave mirror: Fig : 5.20

(b) A convex mirror:fig 5.20

37.Draw a ray diagram to show the formation of image of an object placed at the centre
of curvature of a concave mirror. State the position, size and nature of the image. Object
placed at C :
Ans : Fig ; 5.27
A real, inverted image of the same size is formed at the centre of curvature
Image formed
Image is at C the centre of curvature.
Size of the image is equal to the size of object.
Image is inverted and real.

42.Name the mirror which always forms an erect and virtual image. What is the
size of the image as compared to that of the object?
It is CONVEX MIRROR. The size of image is smaller than-the size of
object, but when the object is at infinity the size of image is POINT size.
43.Name the mirror which forms an erect, virtual and enlarged image of an
object. What is the position of object relative to the mirror?
Concave mirror forms an erect, virtual and enlarged image of an object. Since
convex mirror always forms virtual, diminished, erect image. The position of
object is between focus and pole of mirror
44.What is a real image? Name the mirror which can be used to obtain the real
image of an object. What should be the position of the object relative to the
mirror?
REAL IMAGE. “When rays of light after reflection or refraction actually
meet at some other point” the image is real. Concave mirror.
Except between pole and focus, the image formed is REAL. 45.How can a
concave mirror be used to obtain a virtual image of an object ? Draw a
diagram to illustrate your answer.
A concave mirror forms a virtual image of an object, when object is placed
between focus and pole.
A virtual, erect and bigger image is formed behind their mirror
46.State two uses of a concave mirror.
Two uses of concave mirror are:
(1) concave mirror is used as a reflector in head lights of cars and in search
light. the source of light (bulb) is placed at the principal focus and the reflector
forms parallel beam of light.
(2) for doctors to examine throat, ear, nose and eyes, light is focused with the
help of concave mirror.
47.state three uses of a convex mirror.
(i) it is used as a rear-view mirror.
(ii) it is used as a vigilance mirror
(iii) it is used as a reflector in street lamps.
48.A driver uses a convex mirror as a rear-view mirror. Explain the reason with
the help of a ray diagram.
A convex mirror always forms a small and upright image between pole and
focus. That means in small area of mirror driver can see all the traffic coming
from behind.

Fig : 5.36 from text book

49.State the kind of mirror used
(a) by a dentist, and
(b) as a street light reflector.
(a) A dentist uses concave mirror.
(b) Convex mirror.
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