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Form 4

Physics
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The study of
matter
Chapter 5:
Light

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Physics: Chapter
5
Objectives:

(what you will learn)

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1) understanding Light
2) understanding the Laws

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Light Reflection

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Light travels in straight lines.

When light is incident on a surface, it is
reflected.
Laws of reflection of light

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a. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal are in the
same plane.
b. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Characteristics of images formed by

plane mirror

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a.
b.
c.
d.

Same size as object

Virtual
Laterally inverted
Upright.

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Refraction
When light travels from one medium to another
medium of different optical density, its speed
changes.
This causes the change in its direction and the light
bends.

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The bending of light is called refraction.

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Laws of refraction
a. The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal lie on the
same plane.
b. The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to sine of angle of
refraction is a
constant (Snells Law).

When light travels from an optically less dense to a

denser medium, it bends towards the normal.

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When light travels from an optically denser to a less

dense medium, it bends away from the normal.

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Refraction

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Refractive index of medium X may be found by the

following:
Sine (angle of
n
incidence)
=
Sine (angle of
refraction)
Velocity of light in air
n
Velocity of light in medium
=
X
n

Actual depth
Apparent depth

1
Sine C

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, C = critical
angle

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Mirage

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Mirage
A naturally-occurring optical phenomenon, in which light
rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant
objects or the sky.
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The interpretation of the image is up to the fantasy of

human mind, and is usually mistaken for a small puddle of
water.
The word comes to English via the French mirage, and from
the Latin mirare, meaning 'to appear, to seem'.
It has the same root as for mirror. Like a mirror, a mirage
shows images of things which are elsewhere.

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The principal physical cause of a mirage, however, is

refraction rather than reflection.
It is also caused by the phenomenon of total internal

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Mirage
Inferior Mirage
Cold air is denser than warm air, and has a greater refractive
index. As light passes from colder air above to warmer air
below it bends away from the normal, resulting in an inferior
image for the sky above.

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Superior Mirage

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Where the air near the ground is cooler than that higher up,
the light rays will curve downwards, producing a superior
image. Superior mirages are most common in polar regions,
especially over large sheets of ice with a uniform low

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Internal
Critical angle
is angle of incidence when
Reflection
light travels from denser medium to less
dense medium and angle of refraction is 90o.
Less dense
medium

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Denser
medium

Normal
When light travels from denser to less dense medium and
the critical angle is exceeded, total internal reflection
takes place.

Application of total internal reflection: optical fibres

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A light ray enters fibre at an angle > critical angle

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Lens
There are 2 types of lenses: convex and concave
lenses
Convex lens: the point where refracted rays meet is
called focal point
Concave lens: the light rays seem to be diverged
from a single point, the point is the focal point

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Focal length (f): distance from optical centre to focal

1
point
Power of lens
, unit is dioptre
f (in metre)
=
(D)
A real image can be formed on a screen.
A virtual image cannot be formed on a
screen.

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Optical instruments which use lenses:

Camera
Photocopier
Magnifying glass
Slide projector

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Lens

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Object
distance (u)

Image distance
(v)

Characteristics
of image

Uses

u<f

Same side as
object

Virtual, upright,
enlarged

Magnifying
glass

u=f

At infinity

Virtual, upright,
enlarged

Telescope

f < u < 2f

v > 2f

Real, inverted,
enlarged

Slide projector

u = 2f

v = 2f

Real, inverted,
same size

Photocopier

u > 2f

F < v < 2f

Real, inverted,
diminished

camera

Lens
equation:

10

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1
u

Magnification of lens

1
v
v
u

1
f

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Summary

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What you have learned:

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11

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1.

Understanding Light

2.

Reflection and Refraction

3.

Using the Laws

Thank You