RAY OPTICS

Previous years’ Board questions

AISSCE 2001
1. Draw a labeled diagram of a Newtonian type reflecting telescope. (2)
2. A ray of light incident on an equilateral glass prism shows minimum deviation of 30 o. Calculate the
speed of light through the glass prism. (2)
3. Where should an object be placed from a converging lens of focal length 20 cm, so as to obtain a real
image of magnification 2 ? (3)

AISSCE 2002
1. What changes in the focal length of a convex lens occur, when the incident violet light on them is
replaced with red light ? (2)
2. State the conditions for total internal reflection of light to take place. Calculate the speed of light in a
medium, whose critical angle is 45o. (2)

AISSCE 2003
1. An object is placed at the focus of a concave lens. Where will its image be formed ? (1)
2. A converging lens of focal lens 6.25 cm is used as a magnifying glass. If the near point of the
observer is 25 cm from the eye and lens is held close to the eye, calculate (i) the distance of the
object from the lens, (ii) the angular magnification. Also find the angular magnification (magnifying
power) when the final image is formed at infinity. (3)
3. Draw a graph to show the variation of the angle of deviation ‘D’ with that of the angle of incidence ‘i’
for a monochromatic ray of light passing through a glass prism of refracting ‘A’ . Hence deduce the
 D  A
relation sin  m  (3)
 
2 
 A
sin  
2
AISSCE 2004
1. Draw a ray diagram of an astronomical telescope in the normal adjustment position. Write down the
expression for its magnifying power. (2)
2. A spherical surface of radius of curvature R, separates a rarer and a denser medium as shown in the
figure. Complete the path of the incident ray , showing the
formation of a real image. Hence derive the relation connecting
object distance ‘u’, image distance ‘v’, radius of curvature R and
the refractive indices n1 and n2 of the two media. (5)
Briefly explain, how the focal length of a convex lens changes,
with increase in wavelength of incident light.

AISSCE 2005
1. A right angled crown glass prism with critical angle
41o is placed before an object, PQ, in two positions as
shown in the figures (i) and (ii). Trace the paths of the
rays from P and Q passing through the prisms in two
cases. (2)

2. Draw a labeled ray diagram to show the formation of

an image by a compound microscope. Write the
expression for its magnifying power. (2)

AISSCE 2006
1. Draw a labeled ray diagram to show the image formation in a refracting type astronomical telescope.
Why should the diameter of the objective of a telescope be large ? (2)

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2. A beam of light converges to a point P. A lens is placed in the path of the convergent beam 12 cm
from P. At what point does the beam converge if the lens is (a) a convex lens of focal length 20 cm,
(b) a concave lens of focal length 16 cm ? (3)

AISSCE 2007
1. A double convex lens of glass of μ = 1.6 has its both surfaces of equal radii of curvature of 30 cm
each. An object of height 5 cm is placed at a distance of 12.5 cm from the lens. Calculate the size of
image formed. (3)

AISSCE 2008
1. How does the angle of minimum deviation of glass prism vary, if the incident violet light is replaced
with red light ? (set I) (1)
2. How does the angle of minimum deviation of glass prism of refractive index 1.5 change, if it is
immersed in a liquid of refractive index 1.3 ? (set III) (1)
3. Draw a labelled diagram of an astronomical telescope in near point position ( or compound
microscope in set III).Write the expression for its magnifying power. (2)
1 1 1
4. Derive the lens formula,   for a concave lens, using the necessary ray diagram.
f v u
Two lenses of power 10 D and – 5 D are placed in contact. (i) Calculate the power the new lens. (ii)
Where should an object be held from the lens, so as to obtain a virtual image of magnification 2 ?

AISSCE 2009
1. Two thin lenses of power + 6 D and -2 D are in contact. What is the focal length of the combination ?
(1)
2. Define refractive index of a transparent medium.
A ray of light passes through a triangular prism. Plot a graph showing the variation of the angle of the
deviation with the angle of incidence. (2)
3. (i) State the principle on which the working of an optical fibre is based.
(ii) What are the necessary conditions for this phenomenon to occur ? (SET -II) (2)
4. What is the relation between critical angle and refractive of a material ? Does the critical angle
depend on the colour of light ? Explain. (SET – III ) (2)
5. (a) Draw a labeled diagram to show the formation of image in an astronomical telescope for a
distant object. Write three distinct advantages of a reflecting type telescope over a refracting type
telescope.
(b) A convex lens of focal length 10 cm is placed coaxially 5 cm away from a concave lens of focal
length 10 cm. If an object is placed 30 cm in front of the convex lens, find the position of the final
image formed by the combined system. (5)

AISSCE 2010
1. A converging lens is kept coaxially in contact with a diverging lens, both the lenses being of equal
focal lengths. What is the focal length of the combination ? (1)
2. When light travels from a rarer to a denser medium, the speed decreases. Does this decrease in
speed imply a decrease in the energy carried by the light wave ? Justify your answer. (2)
3. (i) Draw a neat labeled ray diagram of an astronomical telescope in normal adjustment. Explain
briefly its working.
(ii) An astronomical telescope uses two lenses of powers 10 D and 1 D. What is its magnifying power
in normal adjustment ?
OR
(i) Draw a neat labeled ray diagram of a compound microscope. Explain briefly its working.
(ii)Why must both the objective and the eye-piece of a compound microscope have short focal lengths
? (3)
4. An illuminated object and a screen are placed 90 cm apart. Determine the focal length and nature of
the lens required to produce a clear image on the screen, twice the size of the object. (3)

AISSCE 2011
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1. A compound microscope uses an objective lens of focal length 4 cm and eyepiece lens of focal length
10 cm. An object is placed at 6 cm from the objective lens. Calculate the magnifying power of the
microscope. Also calculate the length of the microscope.
OR
A giant refracting telescope at an observatory has an objective lens of focal length 15 m. If an
eyepiece of focal length 1.0 cm is used, find the angular magnification of the telescope. If this
telescope is used to view the moon, what is the diameter of the image of the moon formed by the
objective lens ? The diameter of the moon is 3.42 x 108 m. (3)
2. A convex lens made up of glass of μ= 1.5 is dipped, in turn, in (i) a medium of μ= 1.6, (ii) μ=1.3. (i)
Will it behave as a converging or a diverging lens in the two cases ? (ii) How will its focal length
change in the two media ? (3)

AISSCE 2012
1. For the same value of angle of incidence, the angles of refraction in three media A, B and C are 15 o,
25o and 35o resp. In which medium would the velocity of light be minimum ? (1)
2. Draw a labeled ray diagram of a reflecting telescope. Mention its two advantages over the refracting
telescope. (2)
3. You are given three lenses L1, L2 and L3
each of focal length 15 cm. An object is
kept at 20 cm in front of L1 as shown. The
final real image is formed at the focus ‘I’ of
L3. Find the separations between L1, L2 and
L 3. (3)

AISSCE 2013
1. A convex lens of focal length f1 is kept in contact with a concave lens of focal length f2. Find the focal
length of the combination. (2)
2. Draw a labeled ray diagram of a refracting telescope. Define its magnifying power and write the
expression for it. Write two important limitations of a refracting telescope over a reflecting type
telescope. (3)

AISSCE 2014
1. A biconcave lens made of a transparent material of refractive index 1.25 is immersed in water of
refractive index 1.33. Will the lens behave as a converging or a diverging lens ? Give reason. (2)
2. Two monochromatic rays of light are incident normally on the face AB of an isosceles right-angled
prism ABC. The refractive indices of the glass prism for the two rays ‘1’ and
‘2’ rays respectively 1.38 & 1.52. Trace the path of these rays after entering
through the prism. (2)
3. A convex lens of focal length 20 cm is placed coaxially with a convex mirror
of radius of curvature 20 cm. The two are kept 15 cm apart. A point object
is placed 40 cm in front of the convex lens. Find the position of the image formed by this
combination. Draw the ray diagram showing the image formation. (3)

AISSCE 2015
1. When light travels from an optically denser medium to a rarer medium, why does the critical angle of
incidence depend on the colour of light ? (1)
2. (a) A ray of light is incident normally on the face AB of a right-angled glass
prism of refractive index . The prism is partly immersed in a liquid of unknown
refractive index. Find the value of refractive index of the liquid so that the ray
grazes along the face BC after refraction through the prism.
(b) Trace the path of the rays if it were incident normally on the face AC. (3)
3. (a) A point -object is placed on the principal axis of a convex spherical surface

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 of radius of curvature R, which separates the two media of refractive indices n 1 and n2 (n2 > n1). Draw
the ray diagram and deduce the relation between the distance of the object (u), distance of the image
(v) and the radius of curvature (R) for refraction to take place at the convex spherical surface from
rarer to denser medium.
(b) Use the above relative to obtain the condition on the position of the object the radius of curvature
in terms of n1 and n2 when the real image is formed. (5)
OR
Draw a labelled ray diagram showing the formation of image by a compound microscope in normal
adjustment, Derive the expression for its magnifying power. (3)

AISSCE 2016
1. A ray PQ incident on the refracting face BA is refracted in the
prism BAC as shown in the figure and emerges from the other
refracting face AC as RS such that AQ = AR. If the angle of
prism A = 60o and refractive index of material of prism is √3,
calculate angle θ. (2)
2. (i) A screen is placed at a distance of 100 cm from an object.
The image of the object is formed on the screen by a convex lens for two different locations of the
lens separated by 20 cm. Calculate the focal length of the lens used.
(ii) A converging lens is kept coaxially in contact with a diverging lens – both the lenses being of equal
focal length. What is the focal length of the combination ? (3)

AISSCE 2017
1. How does the angle of minimum deviation of a glass prism vary, if the incident violet light is
replaced by red light? Give reason. (1)
2. (a) Monochromatic light of wavelength 589 nm is incident from air on a water surface. If μ for water
is 1.33, find the wavelength, frequency and speed of the refracted light.
(b) A double convex lens is made of a glass of refractive index 1.55, with both faces of the same
radius of curvature. Find the radius of curvature required, if the focal length is 20 cm. (3)

3. (a) Draw a ray diagram for the formation of image by a compound Lenses Power(D) Aperture
microscope. (cm)
(b) You are given the following three lenses. Which two lenses will you L1 3 8
use as an eyepiece and as an objective to construct a compound L2 6 1
microscope ? L3 10 1
(c) Define resolving power of a microscope and write one factor on which it depend. (3)
4. (a) Draw a ray diagram to show the image formation by a combination of two thin convex lenses in
contact. Obtain the expression for the lenses. (5)
(b) A ray of light passing from air through an equilateral glass prism undergoes minimum deviation
when the angle of incidence is ¾ th of the angle of prism. Calculate the speed of light in the prism.

AISSCE 2018
1. The figure shows a ray of light falling normally on the face AB of an
equilateral glass prism having refractive index 3/2, placed in water of
refractive index 4/3. Will this ray suffer total internal reflection on
striking the face AC ? Justify your answer. 1
2. A symmetric biconvex lens of radius of curvature R and made of glass of
refractive index 1.5, is placed on a layer of liquid placed on top of a plane
mirror a shown in the figure. An optical needle with its tip on the principal
axis of the lens is moved along the axis until its real, inverted image
coincides with the needle itself. The distance of the needle from the lens is
measured to be x. On removing the liquid layer and repeating the same
experiment, the distance is found to be y. Obtain the expression for the
refractive index of the liquid in terms of x and y. 3

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AISSCE 2019
1. Draw the ray diagram of an astronomical telescope showing image formation in the normal
adjustment . Write the expression for its magnifying power. (2)
OR
2. Draw a labelled ray diagram of a compound microscope showing formation
of image. Write the expression for its resolving power. (2)
3. Under which conditions can a rainbow be observed ? Distinguish between a
primary and a secondary rainbow. (2)
4. A triangular prism of refracting angle 60O is made of a transparent material
of refractive index 2/√3 . A ray of light is incident normally on the face KL
as shown in the figure. Trace the path of the ray as it passes through the
prism and calculate the angle of emergence and angle of deviation. (3)

AISSCE 2020
1. Larger aperture of objective lens in an astronomical telescope
(A) increases the resolving power of telescope (B) decreases the brightness of the image
(C) increases the size of the image (D) decreases the length of the telescope
2. A biconvex lens of glass having refractive index 1.47 is immersed in a liquid. It becomes invisible and
behaves as plane glass plate. The refractive index of the liquid of the liquid is
(A) 1.47 (B)1.62 (C) 1.33 (D) 1.51
3. For a glass prism, the angle of minimum deviation will be smallest for the light of
(A) red colour (B) blue colour (C) yellow colour (D) green colour.
4. A ray of light on passing through an equilateral glass prism, suffers a minimum deviation equal to the
angle of the prism. The value of refractive index of the material of the prism is ………
5. Using lens maker’s formula, derive the thin lens formula for a biconvex lens. (2)
6. (a) Draw the ray diagram of an astronomical telescope when the final image is formed at infinity.
Write the expression for the resolving power of the telescope.
(b) An astronomical telescope has an objective lens of focal length 20 m and eye-piece of focal
length 1 cm.
(i) Find the angular magnification of the telescope.
(ii) If this telescope is used to view the Moon, find the diameter of the image formed by the
objective lens. Given the diameter of the Moon is 3.5 X 106 m and radius of lunar orbit is 3.8 X
108 m. (5)
OR
(a) An object is placed 30 cm in front of a plano-convex lens with its spherical surface of radius of
curvature 20 cm. If the refractive index of the material of the lens is 1.5, find the position and
nature of the image formed. (2)
(b) Deleted.

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