Chapter 4: Human Eye and the colourful world

Assignment: 3

Class: X Subject: Physics

Topic: Atmospheric refraction

Multiple choice questions:
1. Refraction of light by the earth’s atmosphere due to variation in air density is called

(a) atmospheric reflection

(b) atmospheric dispersion
(c) atmospheric scattering
(d) atmospheric refraction

2. Twinkling of stars is due to atmospheric

(a) dispersion of light by water droplets
(b) refraction of light by different layers of varying refractive indices
(c) scattering of light by dust particles
(d) internal reflection of light by clouds.

3. With respect to atmospheric refraction which of the following point distinguish between
cold air and hot air

(a) Cold air is denser than hot air

(b) Hot air lighter than cold air
(c) cold air have higher refractive index than hot air
(d) All of these

4. Why sun appears flattened during sunrise and sunset?

(a) Because sun is closer to Earth
(b) Because earth is rotating around itself
(c) Because of atmospheric refraction
(d) None of these

5. One cannot see through the fog, because

(a) Refractive index of the fog is very high
(b) Light suffers total reflection at droplets
(c) Fog absorbs light
(d) Light is scattered by the droplets

6. Mirage is an example
(a) Refraction of light only
(b) Total internal reflection of light only
(c) Refraction and total internal reflection of light
(d) Dispersion of light only

7. The atmospheric refraction of light causes the twinkling of:

(a) Planets only
(b) Stars only
(c) Planets and stars
(d) Stars and satellites

8. The day is longer on the earth by about 4 minutes because:

(a) The earth is round in shape
(b) The earth rotates on its axis
(c) The earth revolves around the sun
(d) The earth has atmosphere

Fill in the blanks:

1) Stars appear to be higher in the sky than actually they are because of__________
2) The cold air layers of the atmosphere behave as optically_______________
3) Sun appears to be risen before the actual sun rise because of_____________
4) Deviation of light as it passes through the atmosphere due to variation in air density is
called_____________
5) When light rays from stars enter into earth’s atmosphere, it travels from____________ to
_________medium
6) We can see the sun about ________minutes before the actual sunrise and about _______
minutes after the actual sunset because of atmospheric ____________
Answer the following:
1. Explain atmospheric refraction.

2. Name two effects produced by the atmospheric refraction.

3. How does refraction take place in the atmosphere?

4. Why do stars twinkle but not the planets?

5. Is the position of a star as seen by us its true position? Justify your answer.

6. Which phenomenon makes us see the sun:

(a) a few minutes before actual sunrise?
(b) a few minutes after actual sunset?

7. The day is longer by about four minutes because the earth has an atmosphere. By how
much time the day would have been shorter if the earth had no atmosphere.