Wave Theory of Light
01. Wave Theory of Light
1.0 Basic concepts :
1. Light is that form of energy which makes objects
visible.
2. Optics is that branch of physics which deals the
nature, sources, properties and effects of light.
3. The optics may be further classified as follows:
Geometrical optics, physical optics, ray optics,
wave optics, quantum o{'tics.
4. The wave optics and the quantum optics are the
branches of physical optics.
5. Geometrical optics is the same as ray optics.
6. Quantum optics treats the light as the stream of
particles.
7. Light propagates as electromagnetic waves. It
does not require medium for its propagation.
8. In the electromagnetic spectrum, wavelength of
light lies between 4000 Å and 7000 Å.
9. Different colours of light have different
frequencies.
10. In the visible region there are infinite colours, but
our eye can distinguish the colours from violet to
red.
11. The speed of light in free space or vacuum is
3 × 108 m/sec which is independent of relative
motion between the source and observer.
12. All colours of light travel with same speed in
vacuum. In a medium different colours of light
travel with different speed. Speed of light is
maximum for red and minimum for violet in a
medium.
13. Speed of light in a medium is lesser than in
vacuum.
14. When light travels from one medium to the other,
velocity and wave length change but frequency
or colour of light does not change. Amplitude may
decrease or remain constant in this case.
Remark: Colour of light is determined by its
frequency and not wavelength.
15. Light of single wavelength is called
monochromatic light.
16. Light is un deflected by electric and magnetic
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fields.
17. Optical path:
i) It is distance travelled by light in vacuum in
same time in which it travels in.a given length
in medium.
ii) A path length x in a medium is equal to an
optical path of length µx, where µ is
refractive index of the medium.
Remark: For all media other than vacuum,
optical path length is greater than geometric
path length.
18. Persistence of vision: If the time interval
between two light pulses be less than 0.1 second,
then your eye fails to distinguish between them.
This is called persistence of vision.
19. Resolving power: Our eye fails to see two
points separately if they substend an angle equal
to or less than 1 minute. It is called resolving power
of the eye. For resolution of two points separated
by a distance d, from a distance D, we find:
d 

D 180  60
20. Reversibility of light:
i) If a light ray is reversed, it always retraces
its previous path.
ii) Object and image positions are
interchangeable.
1.1 Wave theory of light :
The following theories were proposed to
explain nature of light
1) Corpuscular theory of light
2) Wave theory of light
3) Maxwell's theory of light
4) Planck's quantum theory of light
1. Corpuscular theory of light:
i) Corpuscular theory of light was proposed
by Issac Newton in 1675. According to this
theory a source of light emits, minute
weightless and elastic particles called as
corpuscles. The different colours of light are
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 Wave Theory of Light
due to different size and mass of the
particles.
ii) The corpuscles having negligible mass
travels with very high speed. The direction
of motion of corpuscles is unaffected by the
force of gravity. This explains rectilinear
propagation of light.
iii) The application of Newton's theory to the
refraction concludes that velocity of light in
air medium is less than velocity of light in
denser medium.
iv) The phenomena of interference, diffraction
and polarization can not be explain on the
basis of corpuscular theory.
2. Wave theory of light:
i) Wave theory of light was proposed by
Christian Huygen in 1678.
According to wave theory, light is
propagated in the form of waves. The
different colours of light are due to the
different wavelengths of light waves.
ii) To explain propagation of light through
vacuum, Huygen assumed presence of
hypothetical medium called as luminiferous
ether which was supposed to be present
every where in the universe. The ether was
supposed to have zero density, perfect
transparency and elasticity.
iii) Wave theory can explain laws of reflection,
laws of refraction and inverse square law
of intensity.
Application of wave theory to refraction
3.
concludes that velocity of light in air medium
is greater than velocity of light in denser
medium.
iv) Wave theory can not explain rectilinear
propagation of light, photoelectric effect,
Compton effect and Raman effect.
v) Wave theory can not explain whether light
waves are longitudinal waves or transverse
waves.
Remark:
i) Diffraction: The bending of light rays
around the edges of an obstacle or
aperture is called as diffraction. This
phenomenon was discovered by
Grimaladi.
ii) Double refraction : When a beam of
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light is incident on certain materials, it
breaks into two plane polarised beams
with their plane of polarisation
perpendicular to each other. The two
beams have different velocities in the
medium. This phenomenon is called as
double refraction.
iii) Polarisation: The phenomenon of
restricting the vibrations of particles of
light during transverse wave motion to
a single plane is called as polarisation
of light.
iv) Interference of light : The
phenomenon of producing alternate
points of maximum and minimum
intensity due to the superposition of two
light waves is called as interference of
light.
v) Compton effect: The phenomenon
according to which the wavelength of
radiation scattered by an element is
greater than that of the original
radiation is called as Compton effect.
vi) Raman effect: When monochromatic
light is allowed to pass through a
transparent medium it gets scattered
and the scattered light contains original
wavelength as well as lines of larger
wavelength than the original lines.
These lines of larger wavelengths are
known as Raman lines and this effect
is known as Raman effect.
Maxwell's electromagnetic theory of light:
i) Electromagnetic theory was proposed by
James Clerk Maxwell in 1873.
ii) Light waves are transverse in nature and
electromagnetic waves.
iii) In electromagnetic waves, electric field
 
vector ( E ) and magnetic field vector ( B )
vibrate mutually perpendicular in the same
phase.
 
iv) Both E and B are perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of light.

|E|
v) Velocity of light, C = 
|B|
If µ 0 and  0 are absolute magnetic
permeability and absolute electrical
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 Wave Theory of Light
permittivity of free space, then velocity of
electromagnetic waves in vacuum is given
by
1 along the radii. The rays of light for cylindrical
C=
µ0 0
vi) For the propagation of electromagnetic
waves no material medium is required.
vii) This theory explained polarisation of light but
failed to explain photoelectric effect,
Compton effect and Raman effect.
viii) Experiments on stationary light waves
established that most of the optical properties
 i)
of light depend on the electric vector E (also
known as light vector).
4. Quantum theory of light:
i) Max Planck suggested this theory in 1900.
ii) The emission of light is not continuous and light is
emitted in the form of small packets called
photons.
iii) The energy associated with a photon is
hv
E = hv = .

iv) The energy of a photon remains localised in a
small volume of space instead of spreading out.
v) The light energy is absorbed or emitted as integral
multiples of a minimum amount of energy called
quantum of energy (E = hv).
vi) This theory successfully explained the
phenomenon of photoelectric effect and Compton
effect.
1.2 Wavefront and wclvenormal :
1. The locus of all the points of the medium to which
the waves reach simultaneously, so that all the
points are in the same phase, is wavefront.
Spherical, plane and cylindrical wavefront are the
types of wavefront.
2. A wavefront originating from point source of light
at finite distance is spherical wavefront.
3. A wavefront originating from point source of light
at infinite distance i.e. at a very large distance is
plane wavefront.
4. A wavefront originating from linear source of light
is cylindrical wavefront.
5. A perpendicular drawn to the wavefront at any
point, in the direction of propagation of light is
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wavenormal.
6. The direction in which light travels is ray of light
7. The rays of light for spherical wavefronts are
wavefront are along the radii of cross-section.
The rays of light for plane wavefront are parallel
to each other.
1.3 Huygen's principle :
1. Huygen's construction is a geometrical method
used to determine position and nature of a given
wavefront at a later instant.
2. Huygen's principle:
Every point on the wavefront acts as a
secondary source of light and sends out
secondary waves in all directions.
ii) The secondary waves travels with the same
speed as the primary waves.
iii) The position of the wavefront at a later
instant is given by the envelope tangential
to secondary spherical wavelets.
1.4 Huygen's construction of a spherical
wavefront and plane wavefront
1. Awavefront is the surface of a particles which
are in same phase.
2. A wavefront moves forward parallel to itself.
3. The rays of light are perpendicular to the
wavefronts.
4. The energy of wave 'travels in a direction
perpendicular to the wave front.
5. The wavefront originating from the point source
of light at finite distance is spherical wavefront.
6. Each and every point on the wavefront acts as
secondary source of light and emits secondary
waves in all possible direction with the same
velocity in the same medium.
7. The tangential surface which touches all spheres
is position of the new wavefront after time 't'.
8. From construction of wavefront it appears that
there is a back wavefront, but the waves moving
in backward direction does not exist.
1.5 Reflection of a plane wavefront at a plane
surface :
1. The phenomenon of bouncing back of the light
energy falling on a boundary separating two media
is called reflection of light.
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 Wave Theory of Light 4
 PAM =  i = angle of incidence, to the distance of image from the mirror.
 MAR =  r = angle of reflection, iv) If the mirror is moved through a distance x
towards or away from the object, the image
 PAX =  RAY =   = glancing angle,
moves through a distance 2x.
PA - incident ray, MA - Normal,
v) If the object is displaced by a distance x towards
AR - reflected ray, XY - reflecting surface.
or away from the mirror then its image will be
displaced by a distance x towards or away from
the mirror.
vi) If a person / mirror moves with a velocity v
towards or away from the mirror then its image
appear to move with a velocity 2v towards or
away from the mirror/object, but if the image is
observed by another stationary observer then it
appears to move with a velocity v.
2. Angle of incidence: The angle made by incident
vii) If the mirror and the object are moved by a
ray with the normal is angle of incidence.
distance x in opposite directions, then the image
3. Angle of reflection: The angle made by will be displaced by a distance 3x.
reflected ray with the normal is angle of reflection.
viii) If the mirror is turned through on angle e, the
4. Angle of glancing : The angle made by incident reflected ray for same incident ray turns through
ray with the surface is angle of glancing.
2 .
5. The angle of deviation i.e. the deviation produced
ix) When the incident ray rotates through an angle
in the original direction of incident ray during
reflection is,  , the reflected ray also rotates through the same
angle  .
 = 180o – 2 i
x) When a light ray is incident normally on a surface
6. Laws of reflection:
the angle of incidence is zero. The angle of
i) The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of
reflection is zero. The light ray retraces its path.
reflection.
xi) If a person of height h wants to see his full image
ii) The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal
in a plane mirror, the minimum height of the mirror
to the surface lie in the same plane.
should be h/2, whatever be the distance of the
iii) Incident ray and reflected ray lie on opposite side person from the mirror.
of normal.
xii) The angle between incident ray and surface of
7. Due to the reflection of light, their is no change in plane mirror is glancing angle.
frequency, wavelength and velocity of light, but
1.6 Refraction of a plane wavefront at a plane
their is change of phase of c .
surface
8. When a plane wavefront is made incident
normally on reflecting surface then reflected 1. The phenomenon of change in path of light as it
wavefront moves parallel to the surface. goes from one medium to another is called
9. The width of incident wavefront is same as width refraction of light.
of reflected wavefront.
10. The angle between incident wavefront and
reflecting surface is equal to angle of incidence.
11. Important results concerning reflection at a
plane surface:
i) The image formed by a plane mirror is virtual,
erect and laterally inverted.
ii) The size of image is equal to the size of the object.
iii) The distance of the object from the mirror is equal
2. The rays of light bend towards the normal if the

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 Wave Theory of Light 5
rays go into a denser medium and away from the i) Refractive index depends upon the wavelength
normal if it goes into a rarer medium. of light, temperature and pair of medium.
3. If the ray of light passes from air medium to ii) Refractive index is inversely proportional to,
denser medium then its velocity and wavelength a) Wavelength of light
decreases. However if the ray of light passes b) Temperature of medium.
from denser medium to air medium then its iii) Refractive index is maximum for violet colour and
velocity and wavelength increases. minimum for red colour.
4. Due to refraction of light their is no change in iv) The refractive index of medium (2) w.r.t. medium
frequency of light but there is a change in velocity, (1) is,
wavelength and phase.
5. Angle of incidence: The angle made by incident sin i v1 1 1 µ2
µ2 = sin r  v    µ  µ
ray with the normal is angle of incidence. 1
2 2 2 1 1

6. Angle of refraction: The angle madeby 15. Ray of light obey the principle of reversibility.
refracted ray with the normal is angle of Thus, refractive index of air medium with respect
refraction. to denser medium is,
7. Angle of glancing: The angle rriade by incident
ray with the surface is angle of glancing. vd 1
d
µa = v  µ
8. The angle of deviation i.e. deviation produced in a a d

the direction of incident ray of light is,
 =i–r
9. Laws of refraction:
i) The incident ray, the refracted ray, and the
normal lie in the same plane.
ii) The incident ray and the refracted ray lies
on opposite side of normal.
iii) The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence
to the sine of the angle of refraction is
constant for two given media. This is called
Snell's law. The constant is called the
refractive index of denser medium (2) with
respect to air medium (1).
If a ray of light passes from air medium to
denser medium then refractive index is called
as absolute refractive index, otherwise
refractive index is called as relative
refractive index.
10. When a ray of light passes from air to denser
medium then angle of refraction is less than angle
of incidence.
11. When a ray of light passes from denser to air
medium then angle of refraction is greater than
angle of incidence.
12. The width of refracted wavefront is greater than
width of incident wavefront.
13. The angle between refracted wavefront and
reflecting surface is called angle of refraction.
14. Refractive index:
16. If t is the distance travelled in a medium of
refractive index µ, equivalent distance in air is µt.
17. For normal incidence, i = 0 so that r = 0 and  =
0. Thus, ray of light passes through the transparent
medium without any deviation. .
18. Critical angle (c) :
i) Critical angle is that particular value of angle
of incidence in the denser medium for which
angle of refraction in rarer medium is 90°.
Thus, when i = c, then r = 90°.
1
µ=
sin c
ii)
The Critical angle depends on the
a) Refractive indices of the two media
b) Colour of light and
c) Temperature of the medium
iii) Critical angle is,
a) Directly proportional to wavelength of
light
b) inversely proportional to refractive
index.
iv) Critical angle increases with increase in
temperature.
19. When a ray of light passes from air medium to
denser medium, then the ratio of width of incident
wavefront to refracted wavefront is given by,
incident wavefront cos i
=
refracted wavefront cos r

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 Wave Theory of Light
20. If v1 and v2 are the velocities of light in two media
and  1 and A2 are the corresponding wavelengths
v1 v2
in these media, then,  = 
1 2
21. Refractive index is maximum for diamond, one
for vacuum and 1.0003 for air medium.
Additional Information :
More about reflection and refraction
1. Consequences of refraction:
i) Due to refraction:
a) A stick appears bent and short when
immersed obliquely in water.
b) The bottom of the tank appears to be
concave.
c) The letters appear to be raised when a glass
slab is placed over a written paper.
ii) Due to atmospheric refraction:
a) The sun appears bigger during sunset or
sunrise and appears to be oval in shape.
b) The duration of the day increases by 2
minutes.
c) The sun and the moon at the horizon appears
elliptical.
d) The sun is seen before the actual sun rise
and still seen after the sun set.
e) Twinkling of stars is due to fluctuations in
refractive index of atmosphere.
2. Critical angle - Total internal reflection:
i) Total internal reflection: When angle of
incidence of a ray travelling from denser
medium to a rare medium is greater than
the critical angle, the incident ray is reflected
back in the same medium. This phenomenon
is called total internal reflection.
ii) Conditions for total internal reflection:
a) The light ray must travel from denser
medium to rarer medium.
b) The angle of incidence must be greater than
critical angle.
3. Important points:
i) If the angle of incidence is just less than its
critical angle, the ray undergoes refraction.
ii) Maximum possible angle of refraction in a
medium is critical angle.
iii) The critical angle 'C' depends upon pair of
media, colour of light and temperature.
iv) As temperature increases 'C' also increases.
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(Since µ decreases).
v) During total internal reflection low light
energy is absorbed by surface of separation
and complete amount of it is reflected.
vi) The images formed dueto total internal
reflection are bright as there is no loss of
light energy.
vii) Total internal reflection can never take place
if parallel rays are incident on a glass sphere.
4. Consequence of total internal reflection:
Due to total internal reflection
i) An air bubble in water appears shining.
ii) A diamond glitters.
iii) Mirages are formed in places or deserts.
iv) The images are formed in cold countries due to
looming.
v) The upper surface of water contained in a glass
beaker and held above the eye level appears
silvery.
1.7 Polarisation :
1. Electromagnetic waves are generated by any
accelerated charge and travel with the velocity
of light (3 × 108 m/s).
2. The electric waves generated by the accelerated
charge were always accompanied by magnetic
waves and vice versa.
3. The electric and magnetic fields are mutually
perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to
the direction of propagation. This clearly suggests
that electromagnetic waves or light waves are
transverse in nature.
4. The electric vector produces the sensation of
vision in the light wave.
5. It should be noted that polarisation can exist only
for transverse waves and not for longitudinal
waves. The latter only vibrate along the direction
of propagation of the wave and neither orientation
of the slit (horizontal or vertical) would stop them.
1.8 Linear polarisation of light :
1. An ordinary light beam is the combination of a
large number of waves emitted by atoms or
molecules of light source.
2. Each atom produces a wave with its own

orientation of electric vector E .

3. All directions of vibration of E are equally
probable. The resultant electromagnetic wave is
superposition of waves produced by the individual
atoms or molecules. This resultant wave is called
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 Wave Theory of Light
unpolarised light.
4. In ordinary unpolarised light the vibration lie
normal to the direction of propagation in different
directions.
5. If the vibrations of electric vector are confined
along a single direction, perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of light, then the light is
said to be plane polarised or linearly polarised.
6. The phenomenon of confining the vibrations in a
specific direction normal to the direction of wave
motion is called polarisation.
7. The plane containing the direction of vibration or
the plane in which the electric vector vibrates is
known as plane of vibration.
8. The plane in which no vibration occurs or the
plane in which the component of electric vector
is zero is called plane of polarisation.
9. Plane of polarisation and plane of vibration are
always perpendicular to each other.
10. Polarisation is convincing proof" of transverse
nature of light wave.
11. Tourmaline crystal is used to polarize the light
and hence is called polarizer.
12. The plane containing the crystallographic axis PQ
in which the vibrations occur is known as the plane
of vibration and the plane perpendicular to the
plane of vibration is called plane of polarisation.
13. When unpolarised light is incident on the polariser,
the intensity of the transmitted polarised light is
half the intensity of unpolarised light.
14. The naked eye or the polariser alone can not make
distinction between the unpolarised light and the
plane polarised light. Another such crystal used
to analyse the nature of light called as analyser.
15. Representation of polarised light
i) Unpolarised light
ii) Plane polarised light (vibrations parallel to the
plane of paper)
iii) Plane polarised light (vibrations perpendicular to
the plane of paper)
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Note:
1. An unpolarised light is equivalent to the
superposition of two mutually perpendicular
identical plane polarised lights as shown in fig.
(i).
2. If electric vector is more or less than in mutually
perpendicular direction, such light is known as
partially polarised light.
3. Light can also be circularly or elliptically polarised
(left handed or right handed)
4. Elliptically and circularly polarised lights are
obtained due to superposition of two mutually
perpendicular plane polarised lights differing in
phase by  /2 with unequal or equal amplitudes.
5. Methods of obtaining plane polarised light i) By
reflection, ii) By refraction, iii) By double
refraction, iv) By dichroism, v) By scattering.
1.9 Plane polarisation of light by reflection
1. Malus discovered the phenomenon of polarisation
by reflection in 1808. It is the simplest method of
producing a plane polarised light. When a beam
of unpolarised light is incident on a plane glass
plate, part of light is reflected while the rest is
transmitted. The reflected light is partially
polarised.
2. Sir David Brewster performed series of
experiments on the polarisation of light by
reflection. In 1892, Brewster discovered that
when a beam of ordinary light (i.e. unpolarised
light) is reflected from a transparent medium (like
glass), the reflected light is completely plane
polarised at a certain angle of incidence
called the angle of polarisation ep or Brewster's
angle.
3. Brewster law: The tangent of polarising angle
is numerically equal to the refractive index of the
reflecting medium.
 tan  P = µ
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 Wave Theory of Light
4. For glass  P = 57°, For water  P = 53°
5. If angle of incidence i =  P, reflected light is plane
polarised.
In this case reflected and refracted rays are
perpendicular to each other.
If i >  P or i <  P, both reflected and refracted
light will be partially polarised.
6. At angle of incidence i.e. angle of polarisation,
the reflected and refracted beams of light are at
right angle to each other.
1.10 Polaroids
1. Dichroism (selective absorption) :
i) Dichroism is the property of unequal absorption
of ordinary and extraordinary rays by some
crystals.
ii) Crystals like tourmaline or iodosulphate of quinine
absorb the light with vibrations perpendicular to
a spe-cific direction called transmission axis. Light
will be transmitted with vibrations parallel to this
axis.
iii) If unpolarised light passes through proper
thickness of the crystal showing dichroism, the
transmitted light will be plane polarised with
vibrations parallel to transmission axis. Polaroids
work on this principle.
2. Polaroids:
i) In the year 1852, W.H. Herapath discovered a
synthetic crystalline mater ial iodosulphate of
quinine known as herapathite which exhibits
dichroism. The crystal was observed to transmit
linearly polarised light of all colours (or
wavelengths).
ii) In the year 1934, E. H. Land embedded tiny
herapathite crystals in cellulose acetate (volatile
viscous medium) with their optic axes parallel.
The layer of the crystals was mounted between
glass sheets so that the crystals are not spoilt.
This acts as a sheet of polariser (like tourmaline
crystal). It is known as polaroid.
iii) But nowadays two types of polaroids are formed
(a) H-polaroid and (b) K-polaroid. The basic
principle is the same as above.
a) H-polaroid: It is prepared by taking a sheet of
polyvinyl alcohol (long chain polymer molecules).
It is stretched by the application of stress. Due to
stretching the molecules are oriented parallel to
the stress and the material becomes doubly
refracting. When stressed with iodine, the material
behaves as a dichroic crystal the sheet is mounted
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between glass sheets to form H-polaroid.
The long chain molecules of H-polaroid are almost
parallel to one another. So the electric field of the
incident unpolarised light parallel to the molecules
get transmitted. (This transmission is due to the
large electrical conductivity of iodine atoms.)
Thus, it now shows dichroic property and
transmits only other kind i.e. perpendicular of field
vector and emergent light is plane polarised. H-
polaroid is highly efficient and produces almost
100% polarisation.
b) K-polaroid : This is a latest development in the
field of polaroids. Land and Roger discovered that
when stretched polyvinyl alcohol film is heated in
the presence of HCl (an active dehydrating
catalysts) there is a slight darkening of the film.
At this stage the film becomes strongly dichroic.
This is known as K-polaroid. This is especially
useful in automobile headlights because it is not
bleached by sunlight.
3. Polaroid is a device used to produce the plane
polarised light. It is based on the principle of
selective absorption (dichroism) and is more
effective than the tourmaline crystal.
Uses of polaroids or plane polarised light
1. Uses of polaroids
Polaroids has several uses in every day life. Some
of the important uses are listed below.
i) They are used to produce polarised light
cheaply. They can be used to analyze the
polarised light also.
ii) They are used in sun-glasses to cut off the
glare.
iii) Polaroids are used to eliminate head light
glare in automobiles.
iv) Polaroids are used to control the intensity
of light coming through windows of trains
and aeroplanes.
v) Polaroids are used in the production of 3-D
motion pictures.
vi) They are used to improve the colour contrast
in old paintings.
2. Applications of polarised light
i) Polarised light is used to test and measure
the optical activity of crystals like Quartz.
ii) Optical activity of organic substance, like
glucose solution, is measured by polarised
light.
iii) Polarised light can be used to study the
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 Wave Theory of Light 9
helical (spring like) structure of nucleic
the speed of light is same for any observer
acids.
whether the observer and/or the source is
iv) Light scattering studies estimate moving.
depolarisation of transversely scattered light
iii) The red shift :
and help to study size and shape of
a) When a light source is receding (moving
molecules.
away) from an observer with a relative
v) Polarising sun glasses reduces the intensity
velocity v, then the apparent frequency is
of sunlight falling on the eye and prevent
less than the frequency emitted by the
the damage of retina.
source,.given by
Additional Information
1 v / c
Malus law: The intensity of the polarised light n' = × n.
1 v/ c
transmitted through the analyser varies as the
square of the cosine of the angle between the b) Thus, when the S and O are separating
plane of transmission of the analyzer and the plane away the apparent wavelength increases or
of polarizer. shifts towards the red end of the spectrum:
i) If  is the angle between the two transmission 1 v/ c
planes at any instant, intensity of the transmitted '= × 
1 v / c
I0 c) For v << c,
component from analyzer is given by I = cos2
2
 v v
 here I0 is intensity of the light emerging from  ' = 1  c   or  =  ' –  =  c  
   
the polarizer, 1is intensity of light emerging from
the analyser and q is angle between axis of or fractional increase in wavelength is :
analyser and polariser. It can also be shown that fractional decrease
ii) If plane of analyser makes an angle 0 or 180o n v
with the plane of polarizer, then I = I0. in frequency is: =–  
n c
If the two planes are at right angles to each other,
then I = 0. iv) The blue shift:
iii) If an unpolarised light is converted into plane a) When a light source is approaching an
polarised light by passing it through a polaroid or observer with a relative velocity v, then the
polarizer, intensity of transmitted light is half of apparent frequency observed by the
the intensity of incident light. observer is more than the frequency emitted
by the source or the apparent wavelength
1.11 Doppler effect for light decreases, i.e., shifts towards the blue end
i) Doppler's effect holds not only for sound waves of the spectrum.
but also for electromagnetic waves, including
1 v / c
microwaves, radio waves and visible light. n' = × n and
ii) There are two major differences in the Doppler
1 v /c
effect for sound and for light:
1 v /c
a) Doppler effect for light is symmetrical, i.e., '= × 
1 v / c
whether the source is moving towards a
stationary observer or the observer is moving v
towards the stationary source, the Doppler b) For v << c,  = –    and
shift for light is the same for a given relative
c
velocity. v
However of difference occurs because n =  c  × n
 
sound requires a material medium and the
speed of the source and observer are Hence, fractional change in wavelength is :
measured relative to the medium. Light, does
 v
not require a medium for propagation and =–  
 c

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 Wave Theory of Light
and fractional change in frequency is :
n  v 
= 
n c
Applications:
Doppler effect for light is used
a) Measurement of velocities of distant
galaxies,
b) To measure speed of rotation of sun. The
speed of rotation of sun. is nearly 2 km/s,
c) To measure plasma temperature.
Memory Map Wave Optics
• Wavefront: The locus of all the points of the
medium to which all the waves will reach
simultaneously, so that all the points are in the
same state of vibration is called wavefront.
• A wavefront originating from the point source of
light at finite distance is called spherical
wavefront.
• A wavefront originating from the point source of
light at infinite distance i.e. at very large distance
is called as plane wavefront.
• Cylindrical wavefront:
A wavefront originating from a linear source of
light is called cylindrical wavefront.
• Wave normal : A normal or perpendicular drawn
to the surface of a wavefront at any point, in the
direction of propagation of light, is called a
wavenormal.
• Ray of light: The direction of wavenormal is
called as ray of light. In other words, wave normal
is same as a ray of light.
• Huygen's principle : Each and every point on
a wavefront acts as a secondary source of light.
They will emit secondary waves in all possible
directions with the same velocity in the same
medium. The tangential surface which touches
all the secondary wavelets, at later instant is
position of the new wavefront at that instant.
• Polarisation of Light : The phenomenon of
restricting the vibrations of a light wave in a
particular direction in a plane perpendicular to the
propagation of light is called polarisation of light.
• An optical device used to produce polarized light
and is called polarizer.
• The plane in which the vibrations occur is known
as the plane of vibration and the plane
PHYSICS - MHT-CET
10
perpendicular to the plane of vibration is called
plane of polarisation.
• The intensity of the transmitted polarised light is
half the intensity of unpolarised light. Linearly
polarised light, elliptically or circularly polarised
light also exist.
Polaroids:
• The property of absorbing the ordinary and
extraordinary light unequally is called dichroism.
• The crystal possessing this property are called
dichroic crystals or polaroids.
• H-polaroid: It is constructed by stretching
polyvinyl alcohol by the stress.
• K-polaroid: It is constructed by heating polyvinyl
alcohol in presence of HCl.
• Brewster's law: Brewster's law states that, the
refractive index of the refractive medium (µ) is
numerically equal to the tangent of the angle
polarisation (  p). i.e. µ = tan  p
• Angle of polarisation : The angle of incidence
at which the reflected light is completely
converted into plane polarised light is called the
angle of polarisation  p or Brewster's angle.
• Malus Laws: I = (I0/2) cos2  p.
Uses of Polaroids : i) In sun glasses, ii) In trains
and aeroplanes, iii) Polaroids are used to eliminate
the dazzle from the head lights of cars, iv) They
are used to record and reproduce three
dimensional pictures.
Doppler's effect:
• Doppler's effect holds for sound waves,
electromagnetic waves.
• Doppler effect for light is symmetrical.
• Doppler effect for sound requires a material
medium but light does not require a medium.
• Doppler effect for light is used:
a) measurement of velocities of distant
galaxies,
b) to measure speed of rotation of sun. The
speed of rotation of sun is nearly 2 km/s,
c) to measure plasma temperature.

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 Wave Theory of Light 11

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.0 Basic concepts c) velocity of light d) intensity of light

10. Newton's corpuscular theory of light successfully
1. Corpuscular theory of light was proposed by
explains the phenomenon of
a) Newton b) Huygen
a) reflection and refraction of light
c) Maxwell d) Planck
b) rectilinear propagation of light
2. Netwon's corpuscular theory of light was
c) partial reflection and partial' refraction from
introduced in
transparent surfaces
a) 1675 b) 1678
d) all of these
c) 1875 d) 1900
11. The direction of motion of the corpuscles is
3. Newton postulated his corpuscular theory of light
unaffected by the force of gravity due to
on the basis of
a) high speeds of corpuscles
a) Newton's rings
b) negligible mass of corpuscles
b) rectilinear propagation of light
c) both 'a' and 'b'
c) colour through thin films
d) neither 'a' nor 'b'
d) dispersion of white light into colours.
4. According to Newton's corpuscular theory of light, 1.1 Wave theory of light
light is propagated in the form of 12. To explain nature of light, Huygen proposed
a) corpuscles b) waves a) Corpuscular theory of light
c) photons d) electrons b) wave theory of light
5. According to Newton's theory of light the c) classical theory of light
rectilinear propagation of light is due to
d) quantum theory of light
a) different masses of the corpuscles
13. Wave theory of light was proposed by Huygen in
b) invisible property of corpuscles
a) 1675 b) 1678
c) weightless property of corpuscles
c) 1900 d) 1987
d) high speed of corpuscles
14. According to Huygen light is propagated in the
6. Light appears to travel in straight lines because form of
a) it consists of small particles a) corpuscles b) waves
b) the velocity of light is very large c) photons d) electrons
c) wavelength of light is very small 15. According to wave theory, different colours of
d) light is reflected by surroundings light is due to
7. Application of Newton's theory to refraction a) different wavelengths of light waves
concludes that, velocity of light in air medium is b) different frequencies of light waves
a) equal to velocity of light in denser c) different amplitudes of light waves
b) less than velocity of light in denser d) none of these
c) greater than velocity of light in denser 16. To explain propagation of light. concept of
d) cannot predicated luminiferous ether was introduced by
8. Newton's corpuscular theory of light failed to a) Newton b) Huygen
explain c) Maxwell d) Planck
a) interference of light 17. According to Huygen, undetectability of ether is
b) diffraction of light due to
c) polarisation of light a) zero density b) perfect transparency
d) all of these c) perfect elasticity d) all of these
9. The different sizes and masses of the corpuscles 18. Huygens wave theory is used
is responsible for a) to determine the velocity of light
a) colour of light b) frequency of light b) to find the position of a wavefront

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 Wave Theory of Light 12
c) to determine the wavelength of light c) amplitude d) none of these
d) to find the focal length of a lens 29. Quantum nature of light is not supported by the
19. Light has the following wave property phenomenon of
a) transverse a) compton effect
b) sometimes transverse, sometimes longitudinal b) photoelectric effect
c) neither transverse nor longitudinal c) emission and absorption of light
d) longitudinal d) interference of light
20. Light waves are transverse in nature. This is 30. Which of the following phenomenon can be
indicated by explained by quantum theory to explain wave
a) polarisation of light nature of light?
b) interference of light a) photoelectric effect
c) dispersion of light c) compton effect
d) photoelectric effect b) diffraction
21. Which of the following does not support the wave d) black body radiation
nature of light? 1.2 Wave front and wave normal
a) Interference b) Diffraction
31. The locus of all points of the medium having the
c) Polarisation d) Photoelectric effect
same phase for particles of light is called
22. Huygen's wave theory of light cannot explain
a) wavelength b) wavefront
a) diffraction b) interference
c) amplitude d) displacement
c) polarisation d) photoelectric effect
32. The wavefront originating from the point source
23. Wave theory of light only can explain
of light at finite distance is
a) photoelectric effect b) diffraction
a) spherical wavefront
c) compton effect d) black body radiation
b) plane wavefront
24. According to wave theory of light, veloci ty of
c) cylindrical wavefront
light in rarer medium is
d) circular wavefront
a) equal to velocity of light in denser
33. Which of the following produces a plane
b) less than velocity of light in denser
wavefront?
c) greater than velocity of light in denser
a) Point source b) Line source
d) cannot predicated
c) Extended source d) None of these
25. Huygen's wave theory of light could not explain
34. A source of light is at the focus of convex lens.
a) reflection b) refraction The outcoming light through the lens will be in
c) diffraction d) none of these the form of
26. Propagation of light is correctly described in the a) spherical wavefront
form of b) plane wavefront
a) longitudinal waves c) cylindrical wavefront
b) electromagnetic waves d) all of these
c) transverse electromagnetic waves 35. A spherical wavefront propagating in a medium
d) stationary waves will change into
27. Rectilinear propagation of light cannot be a) circular wavefront
explained on the basis of b) cylindrical wavefront
a) corpuscular theory of light c) plane wavefront
b) wave theory of light d) elliptical wavefront
c) both 'a' and 'b' 36. The wavefront originating from 'extended source
d) neither 'a' nor 'b' of light is
28. In vacuum speed of light depends upon a) spherical wavefront
a) wavelength b) frequency b) plane wavefront

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 Wave Theory of Light 13
c) cylindrical wavefront d) circular wavefront
d) all of these 45. Wavefronts will always moves
37. A wavefront is the locus of all particles of ether a) perpendicular to wave normal
which vibrate b) parallel to each other
a) with same frequency c) perpendicular to each other
b) in same phase d) both' a' and 'b'
c) with same amplitude 46. A wavefront and ray of light are
d) can not be predicted a) perpendicular to each other
38. As a plane wavefront propagates, its radius of b) parallel to each other
curvature c) convergent towards each other
a) decreases d) divergent from each other
b) increases 47. Which of the following is a correct statement?
c) first increases and then decreases The ray of light
d) remains infinity a) is tangential to the wavefront
39. A plane wavefront is propagating in a medium. b) is always normal to the wavefront
Which of the following is true? c) does not exist in the Huygen's principle
a) It propagates parallel to itself d) may be tangenti.al or normal to the wavefront
b) It can not propagate in the medium
1.3 Huygen's principle
c) It changes to spherical wavefront
d) It changes to cylindrical wavefront 48. Which of the following phenomena is not
40. Light from distant star will be reaching on earth's explained by Huygen's construction of
surface in the form of wavefront?
a) spherical wavefront a) Refraction b) Reflection
b) plane wavefront c) Diffraction d) Origin of spectra
c) cylindrical wavefront 49. Huygen's concept of secondary sources
d) all of these a) allows us to find focal length of lens
41. A perpendicular drawn to the wavefront in the b) gives us the magnifying power of lens
direction of propagation of light is c) is a geometrical method to find the position of
a) wave normal b) ray of light a wavefront
c) arc of circle d) chord of circle d) is used to determine velocity of light
42. The direction of wave normal along which light 50. Huygen's principle is used to
travels is a) obtain the new position of wavefront
a) ray of light geometrically
b) reflection of light b) explain principle of superposition of waves
c) refraction of light c) explain interference of light
d) interference of light d) explain polarisation of light
43. The rays of light corresponding to spherical 51. In isotropic medium
wavefront are a) speed of light changes
a) converging in nature b) speed of light remains constant
b) diverging in nature c) direction of propagation of light changes
c) parallel in nature d) wavelength of light changes
d) coaxial 52. Huygen's principle states that
44. The rays of light which are parallel in nature will a) wave is transverse wave
form b) each point of the wavefront is in different phase
a) spherical wavefront c) each point of the wavefront acts as secondary
b) plane wavefront source
c) cylindrical wavefront d) all of these

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 Wave Theory of Light 14
a) angle of incidence b) angle of reflection
1.4 Huygen's construction of a spherical
c) angle of refraction d) glancing angle
wavefront and plane wavefront
61. The angle between incident ray and normal to
53. Which of the following method is used to the reflecting surface is
determine the position of given wavefront after a) angle of incidence b) angle reflection
some instant of time? c) angle of refraction d) angle of emergence
a) Rayleigh's criterion 62. The angle between reflected ray and normal to
b) Huygen's principle the reflecting surface is
c) Huygen's construction a) angle of deviation b) angle of incidence
d) Newton's construction c) angle of refraction d) angle of reflection
54. Each and every point of the wavefront acts as 63. The angle between the original direction of
a) primary source of light incident ray and reflected ray is
b) secondary source of light a) angle of deviation due to reflection
c) centre of mass b) angle of emergence
d) ray of light c) angle of reflection
55. According to Huygen's construction which of the d) angle of refraction
following wavefront does not exists? 64. The angle of incidence is equal to angle of
a) forward wavefront reflection is the statement of law of
b) backward wavefront a) reflection b) refraction
c) cylindrical wavefront c) gravitation d) length
d) can not be predicted 65. Which of the following statement is. true in case
56. According to Huygen's construction, tangential of reflection of light?
envelope which touches all the secondary spheres a) Angle of incidence = Angle ofreflection
is the position of b) Incident ray, reflected ray and normal lie in
a) original wavefront same plane
b) secondary wavefront c) Incident ray and reflected ray lie on opposite
c) geometrical wavefront side of normal
d) extended wavefront d) All of these
57. Huygen's construction is used to determine the 66. When the light is reflected from the surface of
position of new the mirror, its speed and wavelength will
a) spherical wavefront a) increases
b) plane wavefront b) decreases
c) cylindrical wavefront c) remains same
d) all of these d) may increase or may decrease
58. According to Huygen's construction, each point 67. The incident ray, the reflected ray and normal to
of secondary wavefront will emit the light waves the reflecting surface lie in same plane. This
of statement is
a) increased velocity b) decreased velocity a) first law of reflection
c) same velocity d) can not be predicted b) second law of reflection
1.5 Reflection of a plane wavefront at a plane c) third law of reflection
Surface d) none of these
68. The phase difference between incident ray and
59. The phenomenon of bouncing back of the light reflected ray of light is
energy from the surface of the mirror is a) 90o b) 120o
a) reflection b) refraction c) 150 o
d) 180o
c) diffraction d) interference 69. We can see object due to
60. The angle between incident ray and reflecting a) reflection of light from it
surface is

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 Wave Theory of Light 15
b) refraction of light through it a) 750 nm b) 75 Å
c) diffraction c) 750 Å d) 75 × 107 m
d) interference of light 79. Which of the following is an ascending order of
70. The wavefront of a distant source of unknown frequency?
shape is approximately a) Red, green, yellow, blue
a) spherical b) plane b) Blue, green, yellow, red
c) cylindrical d) elliptical c) Red, yellow, green, blue
71. The nature of visible light waves is similar to d) Red, green, blue, yellow
a) gamma rays b) cathode rays 80. The wavelength of light visible to eye is of the
c)  –rays d) alpha rays order
a) 10–2 m b) 10–10 m
72. Maxwell's electromagnetic theory of light
suggests that light consists of oscillations of c) 1 m d) 6 × 10–7 m
a) magnetic vector alone 81. Blue colour of sea water is due to
b) electric vector alone a) reflection of light and scattering of light from
water particles
c) electric and magnetic vectors perpendicular
to each other b) bottom of sea is blue
d) electric and magnetic vectors parallel to each c) large depth of sea water
other d) sea water is saltish
73. A plane mirror is approaching you at a speed of 82. Our eye is most sensitive for which of following
10 cm/s. You can see your image in it. At what wavelength
speed will your image approach you? a) 4500 Å
a) 10 cm/sec b) 5 cm/sec b) 5500 Å
c) 20 cm/sec d) 15 cm/sec c) 6500 Å
74. A man is 180 cm tall and his eyes are 10 cm d) equally sensitive for all wavelengths of visible
below the top of his head. In order to see his spectrum
entire height right from toe to head, he used a 83. Signals of danger are made red, because
plane mirror kept at a distance of 1 m from him. a) our eye is most sensitive for red colour
The minimum length of the plane mirror required b) scattering is minimum for red colour
is c) scattering is maximum for red colour
a) 180 cm b) 90 cm d) red colour is internationally accepted colour
c) 85 cm d) 170 cm for danger
75. A ray of light incidents on a plane mirror at an 84. The air bubble in water shines more because of
angle of 30°. The deviation produced in the ray is a) total internal reflection
a) 30° b) 60° b) diffraction
c) 90° d) 120° c) dispersion of light
76. A ray of light is incidenting normally on a plane d) interference
mirror. The angle of reflection will be 85. At noon, the overhead sun is of normal size. It is
a) 0° due to
b) 90° a) reflection of light
c) will not be reflected b) interference of light
d) none of these c) polarisation of light
77. The nature of visible light waves is similar to d) normal incidence of light through atmosphere
a) alpha rays b)  –rays for which angle of refraction .is zero
c) ×–rays d) cathode rays 86. What will be the colour of sky as seen from earth,
78. For a certain light, there are 2 × 103 waves in 1.5 if there were no atmosphere?
mm in air. The wavelength of light is a) Black b) Blue
c) Orange d) Red

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 Wave Theory of Light 16
87. When mirror is rotated through an angle 8, a 95. The angle of deviation produced in the direction
reflected ray from it moves through an angle of of light when it is refracted from the refracting
a) 0° b) 8° surface is
c) 28° d) 38° a) 90o – i b) i – r
88. Visible radiation has wavelength c) 90 – r d) 180° – 2 i
a)  > 8000 Å 96. The ratio of sine of angle of incidence in one
medium to sine of angle of refraction in other
b)  = 1 millimeter
medium is
c)  = 4000 Å to 8000 Å a) refractive index b) dielectric constant
d)  < 4000 Å c) critical angle d) dispersive power
89. The frequency of visible range spectrum is of 97. When a ray of light passes from air medium to
the order of denser medium then the refractive index is
a) 8 × 1010 Hz b) 5 × 1014 Hz a) relative refractive index
c) 3 × 10 Hz
16
d) 5 × 103 Hz b) absolute refractive index
90. The angle of deviation is the angle between the c) dispersion
a) incident rays and refracted rays d) none of these
b) incident ray and the normal 98. When a ray of light passes from air medium to
c) refracted ray and the normal denser medium then its speed and wavelength
d) incident and emergent ray a) decreases
91. The laws of reflection of light are valid for b) increases
a) plane mirror only c) remains same
b) concave mirrors only d) may increase or may decrease
c) convex mirror only 99. When a ray of light passes from denser medium
d) all reflecting surfaces only to air medium then the speed and wavelength of
92. Rising and setting sun appears to be reddish light
because a) decreases
a) the sun is colder at sunrise or at setting times b) increases
b) diffraction sends red rays to the earth at these c) remains same
times d) may increases or decreases
c) refraction is responsible for it 100. When light passes from one medium to other
d) scattering due to dust particles and air medium then the frequency of light
molecules is responsible for it a) decreases
93. When a man and plane mirror both move towards b) increases
each other at the rate of 10 m/s. At what rate the c) remains same
image approach the man? d) may increase or decrease
a) 10 m/s b) 20 m/s 101. For the propagation of light from rarer to denser
c) 30 m/s d) 40 m/s medium, the refracted ray will bend
1.6 Refraction of a plane wavefront at a plane a) away from normal
surface b) towards normal
c) away from refracting surface
94. The phenomenon of change in path of ray of light
d) none of these
when 'it passes from one medium to another
medium is 102. For the passage of light from denser to rarer
medium, the refracted ray will bend
a) reflection of light
a) away from normal
b) refraction of light
b) towards normal
c) interference of light
c) remains parallel to refracting surface
d) diffraction of light
d) none of these

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 Wave Theory of Light 17
103. Refractive index of a medium depends on 114. In vacuum, speed of light depends upon
a) nature of pair of medium a) wavelength b) frequency
b) wave length or speed of light c) intensity of light d) none of these
c) temperature 115. The lateral shift produced due to parallel sided,
d) all of these glass slab depends on
104. Refractive index of a medium is inversely a) angle of incidence
proportional to b) thickness of the glass slab
a) colour of light b) speed of light c) the refractive index of the material of the slab
c) temperature d) all of these d) all of these
105. Refractive index of a medium 116. If iµj represents refractive index, when a light
a) is dependent of temperature ray goes from medium 'i' to medium 'j', then the
b) decreases as temperature increases product 2µ1 × 3µ2 × 4µ3 is equal to
c) increases as temperature decreases a) 3µ1 b) 3µ2
d) both 'a' and 'b' c) 4µ1 d) 4µ2
106. In case of refraction of light for normal incidence, 117. The twinkling of star is due to
their is no deviation because a) periodic bursts of light from the star
a) i = 90° then r = 0 b) i = 0 then r = 0 b) interference between light from the sun and
c) i = 0 then r = 90 d) none of these star
107. The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to sine of c) partial absorption of light in the atmosphere
angle of refraction is constant. This is called d) refractive index fluctuation in the atmosphere
a) Ohm's law b) Snell's law 118. The sun becomes visible before the actual sunrise
c) Laplace's law d) Ampere's law and remains visible even after the actual sunset.
108. For which of the following colour, refractive index This makes the day a bit longer. It is because of
is maximum? a) scattering of light b) diffraction of light
a) Red b) Green c) refraction of light d) dispersion of light
c) Yellow d) Violet 119. When a rays of light enters a glass slab from
109. A ray of light travels normally through a glass water
plate of thickness × and refractive index u, If v is a) its wavelength increases
velocity of light in rarer medium then the time b) its frequency increases
taken by it to travel thickness of glass plate is c) its wavelength decreases
a) × µ v b) × v /µ d) its velocity increases
c) × / µv d) µ× / v. 120. The shape of sun is oval like when it is at horizon.
110. The refractive index for completely transparent It is due to
material medium to be invisible is a) more refraction of light rays through
a) unity b) more than unity atmosphere from lower edge of sun than from its
c) less than unity d) equal to 1.5 upper edge
111. The refractive index is maximum for b) dispersion of light
a) water b) ice c) diffraction of light
c) glass d) diamond d) interference of light
112. For which of the following colour, refractive index 121. The bottom of vessel filled with transparent liquid
is least? appears to be concave when viewed obliquely
a) violet b) red from above. It is due to
c) green d) orange a) more and more raising of marginal portions of
the bottom than central part due to refraction of
113. The angle of incidence in a medium for which
light corning from bottom.
angle of refraction in a medium is 90° is called
b) total internal reflections
a) critical angle b) refracting angle
c) variations of water due to temperature
c) angle of deviation d) all of these

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 Wave Theory of Light 18
d) none of these
7
122. The critical angle depends on the c) d) 1.5
6
a) refractive indices of the two media
130. A beam of monochromatic blue light of
b) colour of light
wavelength 4200 Å in air trave is in water (µ = 4/
c) temperature of light 3). It's wavelength in water will be
d) all of these a) 2800 Å b) 5600 Å
123. The critical angle increases with c) 3150 Å d) 4000 Å
a) increase in wavelength 131. The refractive index of water is 1.33. The speed
b) decrease in refractive index of light in water is
c) increase in temperature a) 1.33 × 108 m/s b) 2.25 × 108 m/s
d) all of these c) 3 × 10 m/s
8
d) 4 × 108 m/s
124. When a monochromatic light passes from vacuum 132. A light wave enters from air into a medium of
to a denser medium and vice versa. Which of the refractive index 1.5. The speed of light in the
following characteristics of the light beam does medium will be
not change? a) 2 × 108 m/s b) 4.5 × 108 m/s
a) Velocity b) Intensity c) 9 × 108 m/s d) (330/1.5) × 108 m/s
c) Wavelength d) Frequency 133. A beam of light is partially reflected and partially
125. The ratio of the refractive index of red light to refracted from a surface. The angle between the
blue light in air is reflected and refracted light is 90°. The angle of
a) less than unity refraction is 30°. The angle of incidence must be
b) equal to unity a) 50° b) 60°
c) greater than unity c) 75° d) 78°
d) less as well as greater than unity depending 134. The refractive index of water is 4/3 and that of
upon the experimental arrangement glass slab is 5/3. The critical angle for the ray of
126. The refractive index of a certain glass is 1.5 for light tending to go from glass to water is
light whose wavelength in vacuum is 6000 Å. The a) sin–1 (4/5) b) sin–1 (5/4)
wavelength of this light when it passes through c) sin (1/2)
–1
d) sin–1 (2/1)
the glass is 135. A ray of light is incident on a glass slab of
a) 4000 Å b) 6000 Å refractive index 1.5, making an angle of 40° with
c) 9000 Å d) 15000 Å the surface. The angle of refraction in glass is
127. Velocity of light in glass whose refractive index a) 40° b) 30° 42'
with respect to air is 1.5 is 2 × 108 m/s and in c) 50° d) 60°
certain liquid the velocity of light found to be 136. The wavelength of green light in air and in glass
2.5 × 108 m/s. The refractive index of the liquid is 5300 Å and 3533 Å. The refractive index of
with respect to air is glass is
a) 0.64 b) 0.80 a) 1 b) 1.5
c) 1.20 d) 1.44 c) 2 d) 2.4
128. A light wave has a frequency of 4 × 1014 Hz and 137. A ray of light is incident on denser medium making
a wavelength of 5 × 10–7 m in a medium. The an angle of 40° with the surface. After refraction,
refractive index of the medium is it is deviated by 12° from its initial path. The
a) 1.5 b) 1.33 refractive index of denser medium will be
c) 1.0 d) 0.66 a) 1.6 b) 1.4
129. The refractive indices of glass and water w.r.t. c) 1.244 d) 2.4
air are 3/2 and 4/3 respectively. The refractive 138. A glass slab of thickness 4 cm contains the same
index of glass w.r.t. water will be number of waves as 5 cm of water. When both
8 9 are traversed by the same monochromatic light.
a) b) If the refractive index of water is 4/3 then the
9 8

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 Wave Theory of Light 19
refractive index of glass is
a) 5/4 b) 1.5
c) 5/3 d) 16/15
139. The wavelength of a monochromatic light in
vacuum is 4000 Å. It's wave number in glass of
refractive index 1.6 is
a) 1 × 106 m–1 b) 2 × 106 m–1
c) 3 × 106 m–1 d) 4 × 106 m–1
140. A light wave has a frequency of 4.8 × 1014 Hz in
a medium of R. I. 1.35. It's frequency in a medium a) A b) B
of R. I. 1.5 is c) C d) D
a) 4.8 × 1014 Hz 147. When light suffers reflection at the interface
b) 9.6 × 1014 Hz between water and glass, the change of phase in
the reflected wave is
c) 2.4 × 1014 Hz
a) zero b) 
d) 1.2 × 1014 Hz
c)  /1 d) 2 
141. The number of wavelengths of electromagnetic
radiation of wavelength 6000 Å in a path of 2 cm 148. Light appears to travel in straight lines since
in vacuum is a) it is not absorbed by the atmosphere
a) 3.334 × 104 b) 2 × 104 b) it is reflected by the atmosphere
c) 4 × 104 d) 8 × 104 c) its wavelength is very small
142. Time taken by the sun light to pass through d) its velocity is very large.
window of thickness 4 mm, whose refractive 149. When light travels from an optically rarer medium
index is 1.5, is to an optically denser medium, the velocity
a) 2 × 10–1 sec decreases because of change in
b) 2 × 108 sec a) wavelength b) frequency
c) 2 × 10–11 sec c) amplitude d) phase
d) 2 × 1011 sec 150. A ray of light of wavelength A is incident on mirror
143. Glass has refractive index 3/2 and water has at an angle of incidence 60°. The wavelength of
refractive index 4/3. If the speed of light in glass light after reflection will be
is 2 × 108 m/s, the speed of light in water in m/s a) 2  b) 3 
is c)  /2 d) 
a) 1.5 × 108 b) 1.78 × 108 151. If a source of light is moving away from a
c) 2.25 × 108 d) 2.67 × 108 stationary observer, then frequency of light wave
144. The refractive index of water, glass and diamond appears to change because of
are 1.33, 1.5 and 2.4 respectively. The relative a) Doppler's effect b) interference
index of refraction of diamond relative to water c) diffraction d) none of these
and of glass relative to diamond respectively are 152. The first successful astronomical determination
nearly of speed of light was made by
a) 1.804, 0.625 b) 0.554, 0.625 a) Newton b) Roemer
c) 1.8, 1.6 d) 0.554, 1.6 c) Galielo d) Fizeau
145. One cannot see through fog because 153. The first laboratory determination of the speed
a) fog absorbs light of light was made by
b) light is scattered by the droplets in fog a) Fizeau b) Foucault
c) light suffers total reflection at the droplets in c) Roemer d) Michelson
fog 154. Velocity of electromagnetic waves in a medium
d) the refractive index of fog is infinity depends upon
146. The correct curve between refractive index µ and a) thermal properties of medium
wavelength  will be

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 Wave Theory of Light 20
b) mechanical and electrical properties of medium a) reflection b) refraction
c) electrical and magnetic properties of medium c) diffraction d) scattering
d) mechanical and magnetic properties of medium 1.8 Linear polarisation of light
155. A ray is incident at an angle 38° an a mirror. The
angle between normal and reflected ray is 165. When the analyser is rotated to complete one
a) 38° b) 52° rotation, one observes
c) 90° d) 76° a) one extinction and two brightness
b) one brightness and two extinctions
1.7 Polarisation
c) two extinctions and two brightness
156. Waves that cannot be polarised are d) no change in the brightness
a) longitudinal b) transverse 166. A polariser is used to
c) electromagnetic d) can not be predicted a) reduce intensity of light
157. Ordinary light is b) increase intensity of light
a) plane polarised b) partially polarised c) produce polarised light
c) circularly polarised d) unpolarised d) none of these
158. An unpolarised beam of transverse waves is one 167. When the polariser and analyser are in the crossed
whose vibrations position the intensity of the out 'Corninglight is
a) are confined to a single plane a) maximum
b) occur in all directions b) minimum
c) have not passed through a polarised disc c) it depends on the type of analyser
d) occur in all directions perpendicular to their d) partially maximum
direction of motion 168. Which of the following can not be polarised ?
159. The transverse nature of light is shown by a) Radio waves b) x–rays
a) interference of light c) Ultraviolet rays d) Ultrasonic waves
b) refraction of light 169. Light waves can be polarised because they
c) polarisation of light a) have high frequencies
d) dispersion of light b) have short wavelength
160. The polarisation of an electromagnetic wave is c) are transverse
determined by d) can be reflected
a) the electric field only 170. Polarisation of light proves the
b) the magnetic field only a) corpuscular nature of light
c) both the electric and magnetic fields b) quantum nature of light
d) the –direction of propagation of c) transverse nature of light
electromagnetic waves d) longitudinal nature of light
161. In plane polarised light, plane containing electric 171. Polarisation of light takes place due to many
vector is called plane of processes. Which of the following will not cause
a) circulation b) vibration polarisation ?
c) polarisation d) diffraction a) Reflection b) Double reflection
162. Through which character we can distinguish the c) Scattering d) Diffraction
light waves from sound waves? 172. The phenomenon which does not takes place in
a) interference b) refraction sound waves is
c) polarisation d) reflection a) interference b) polarisation
163. In which of the following phenomena, colours are c) diffraction d) scattering
not produced, if white light is used? 173. In the propagation of light waves, the angle
a) Dispersion b) Polarisation between the plane of vibration and plane of
c) Diffraction d) Interference polarisation is
164. Light can not be polarised by

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 Wave Theory of Light 21
d) rotate with respect of each other along the

a) 0 b) path of the beam
4
180. Refractive index of material is equal to tangent
 of polarising angle. It is called
c) d) 
2 a) Lambert's law b) Bragg's law
174. In the propagation of electromagnetic waves the c) Brewster's law d) Malus law
angle between the direction of propagation and 181. Polarisation by reflection of electromagnetic
plane of polarisation is waves the angle between the direction of
propagation and plane of polarisation is

a)  b) a) 0° b) 90°
2 c) 45° d) 120°
 182. An unpolarised light is incident on a surface
c) d) 0 separating two transparent media of different
4
optical densities at the pol arising angle. Then the
1.9 Plane polarisation of light by reflection : refracted ray and reflected ray are
175. From Brewster's law of polarisation, it follows a) parallel to each other
that the angle of polarisation depends upon b) perpendicular to each other
a) the wavelength of light c) inclined to each other making an angle 45°
b) plane of polarisation's orientation d) none of above
c) plane of vibration's orientation 183. If the light is polarised by reflection, then the angle
d) none of the above between reflected and refracted light is
176. When unpolarised light is incident on a plane glass a) 180° b) 90°
at Brewster's angle, then which of the following c) 45° d) 36°
statements is correct ? 184. The polarising angle for a medium is 68°. What
a) Reflected and refracted rays are completely is the critical angle if the ray passes from medium
polarised with their planes of polarisation parallel to air?
to each other a) 40° b) 24°
b) Reflected and refracted rays are completely c) 41.4° d) 48.3°
polarised with their planes of polarisation 185. Polarising sheets give maximum intensity when
perpendicular to each other their polarising directions are parallel. Through
c) Reflected light is plane polarised but what angle either sheet is turned if intensity is to
transmitted light is partially polarised be dropped to one–fourth of unpolarised light?
d) Reflected light is partially polarised but a) 30° b) 45°
refracted light is plane polarised 186. c) 90° d) 60°
177. The relation between refractive index of the 186. An unpolarised beam of light' is incident on a
medium and angle of polarisation is called group of four polarising sheets which are arranged
a) Brewster's law b) Malus law in such a way that the characteristic direction of
c) Stoke's law d) Newton's law each polarising sheet makes an angle of 30° with
178. The expression relating polarising angle and the preceding sheet. What fraction of light is
refractive index is transmitted?
a) µ sin P = 1 b) µ cot P = 1 a) 27/54 b) 27/81
c) µ tan P = 1 d) µ cos P = 1 c) 27/128 d) 27/112
179. The plane of vibration and the plane of polarisation 187. A glass plate is to be used as a polariser. If the
of a beam of light refractive index of glass is 1.54, then the angle of
a) are identical to each other polarisation for it is
b) are orthogonal to each light a) 30° b) 40°
c) make an angle, which depends on the colour c) 57° d) 60°
of the light 188. A ray of light strikes a glass plate at an angle of

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 Wave Theory of Light 22
60°. If the reflected and refracted rays are making an angle of 60°. The percentage of
perpendicular to each other, the index of refraction incident unpolarised light which passes through
of glass is the system is
a) 50% b) 100%
1 3
a) b) c) 12.5% d) 37.5%
2 2
196. The angle of incidence at which reflected light is
3 totally polarised for reflected from air to glass
c) d) 1.732 (refractive index n), is
2
189. Two polarising sheets have their polarising 1
directions parallel to each other so that the a) sin–1 (n) b) sin–1  
n
intensity of transmitted light is maximum. Through
what angle must either she.et be turned so that 1
the intensity becomes one half the initial value? c) tan–1   d) tan–1 (n)
n
a) 60°, 120° b) 45°, 135°
197. A beam light AO is incident on a glass slab (m =
c) 30°, 150° d) 0°, 180°
1.54) in a direction as shown in figure. The
190. An analyzing nicol examines two adjacent plane
reflected ray OB is passed through a Nicol prism.
polarised beams A and B whose planes of
On rotating the Nicol prism we observe that
polarisation are mutually perpendicular. In one
position of the analyser, beam B shows zero
intensity. From this position, a rotation of 30°
shows the two beams as matched. The intensity
ratio of two beams will be
a) 1/2 b) 1/3
c) 1/4 d) 1/5
191. For a given medium, the polarising angle is 60°. a) the intensity is reduced to zero and remains
The critical angle for this medium will be zero
a) 35° 16' b) 42° 22' b) the intensity reduces somewhat and rises again
c) 57° d) 60° c) there is no change in intensity
192. The light reflected from water surface (µ = 1.3) d) the intensity gradually reduces to zero and then
is completely polarised. The angle of incidence again increases
will be 198. Unpolarised light falls on two polarising sheets
a) 30° b) 45° placed one on top of the other. What must be the
c) 53° d) 65° angle between the characteristic directions of the
193. A beam of light travelling in water falls on a glass sheets if the intensity of the final transmitted light
plate immersed in water when angle of incidence is one–third the maximum intensity of the first
is 51° then the reflected beam is found to be transmitted beam?
completely polarised. The refractive index of a) 75° b) 55°
glass will be (RI of water = 4/3) c) 35° d) 15°
a) 1.647 b) 1.523 199. Unpolarised light of intensity 32 Wm–2 passes
c) 1.489 d) none of these through three polarizer. such that the transmission
194. A ray of light strikes a glass plate at an angle of axis of the last polarizer is crossed with that of
40°. If the reflected and refracted rays are the first. The intensity of final emerging light is
perpendicular to each other the index of refraction 3 Wm–2. The intensity of light transmitted by first
of glass is polarizer will be
a) 1/2 b) a) 32 Wm–2 b) 16 Wm–2
3/ 2
c) 8 Wm–2 d) 4 Wm–2
c) 3/2 d) 0.83
200. The substance which can rotate the plane of
195. Two Nicols are oriented with their principal planes
polarisation is called

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 Wave Theory of Light 23
a) optically active substance c) 4 I d) 2 I
b) inactive substance 209. Two polaroid sheets are placed one over other
c) pol arising substance with their axes inclined to each other at an angle
d) analyzing substance  . If only 12.5% of the intensity of the light
201. A beam of natural light falls on a system of 6 incident on the first sheet emerges from the
polaroids, which are arranged in succession such second sheet, the value of  is
that each polaroid is turned through 30° with a) 30° b) 60°
respect' to the preceding one. The percentage of c) 45° d) 90°
incident intensity that passes through the system 210. Which of the following is used to improve the
will be colour contrast in old paintings?
a) 100% b) 50% a) Rectifier b) Nicol prism
c) 30% d) 12% c) Spectrometer d) Polaroids
1.10 Polaroids 211. An unpolarised beam' of intensity 2a2 passes
through a thin polaroid. Assuming zero absorption
202. Dichroism is the property of
in the polaroid, the intensity of emergent plane
a) unequal absorption of ordinary and polarised light will be
extraordinary rays
a) 2a2 b) a2
b) equal absorption of ordinary and extraordinary
rays a2
c) 2 a
2
d)
c) rotating the plane of polarisation 2
d) no change in the brightness 212. Two polaroids are crossed to each other. One of
203. H–polaroid is made of them is rotated through 60°, what % age of
a) nitro cellulose b) polyvinyl alcohol incident unpolarised light will pass through the
c) teflon d) polyvinyl chloride system ?
204. Which of the following polaroid is developed by a) 37.5% b) 40%
Land and Rogger ? c) 20% d) 30%
a) P–polaroid b) H–polaroid 213. To form K–polaroid polyvinyl alcohol is heated
c) K–polaroid d) D–polaroid with
205. An unpolarised beam of intensity 2 A2 passes a) HCl b) H2SO4
through a thin polaroid. Assuming that no light is c) NaOH d) CuSO4
absorbed by the polaroid, the amplitude of the 214. Which of the following is based on the principle
emergent beam will be of selective absorption?
a) 2A2 b) A2 a) Nicol prism b) Polaroids
c) 2 A d) A c) Biprism d) Plane mirror
206. Which of the following polaroid is formed by 215. Who discovered a synthetic crystalline material
stretching polyvinyl alcohol by the stress? iodosulphate of quinine?
a) P–polaroid b) H–polaroid a) W. H. Herapath b) P. H. Land
c) K–polaroid d) N–polaroid c) W. Nicol d) W : H. Brewster
207. Ordinary light incident on a glass slab at the pol 216. The property of absorbing Ovlight and E–light
arising angle suffers a deviation of 24°. The value unequally is called as
of angle of incidence is a) dichroism b) resistance
a) 48° b) 28.5° c) reflection d) double refraction
c) 57° d) 24° 217. Which is a dichroic crystal from the following?
208. The polariser and analyser are inclined to each a) tourmaline
other at 60° . The intensity of polarised light
b) quartz
emerging from analyser is I. The intensity of the
c) Idosulphate of quinine
unpolarised light incident on the polariser is
d) all of these
a) I b) 8 I

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 Wave Theory of Light 24
218. Polaroid glass is used in sun–glasses because of the visible spectrum will be shifted towards
a) it reduces the light intensity on account of red when
polarisation a) source and observer move away from each
b) it is fashionable other
c) it has good colour b) source and observer more towards each other
d) it is cheaper c) source and observer are at rest
219. One of the devices to produce plane polarised d) none of these
light is 229. Due to Doppler effect, a wavelength in the middle
a) polaroid b) a mirror of the visible spectrum will be shifted towards
c) a biprism d) a half wave plate blue when
220. What changes on polarisation of light? a) source and observer more away from each
a) Frequency b) Wave length b) source and observer more towards each other
c) Phase d) Intensity c) source and observer are at rest
221. Which of the following is used to eliminate head d) none of these
light glare in automobiles? 230. The term red shift are used for
a) Polaroids b) Nicol prism a) increase in frequency and increase in
c) Calcite crystal d) Plane mirror wavelength
222. Polaroids are used to control the intensity of light b) decrease in frequency and decrease in
corning through windows of wavelength
a) trains and aeroplanes c) increase in frequency and decrease in
b) nicol prism wavelength
c) biprism d) decrease in frequency and increase in
wavelength
d) ammeter
231. The term blue shift is used for
223. Which of the following is used to improve the
colour contrast in old paintings? a) increase in frequency and increase in
wavelength
a) Polaroids b) Nicol prism
b) decrease in frequency and decrease in
c) Rectifier d) Polarometer
wavelength
224. Which of the following phenomenon is used to
c) increase in frequency and decrease in
test and measure the optical activity of crystals
wavelength
like quartz?
d) decrease in frequency and increase in
a) Interference b) Polarisation
wavelength
c) Diffraction d) Refraction
232. Doppler effect for light is used
225. Which of the following phenomenon is used to
a) measurement of velocities of distant galaxies
form characters in LCDs ?
b) to measure speed of rotation of sun
a) Interference b) Polarisation
c) to measure plasma temperature
c) Diffraction d) Refraction
d) all of these
1.11 Doppler effect for light
233. Change in frequency due to Doppler's effect is
226. Doppler effect for light is produced when
a) asymmetric b) symmetric a) the source and the observer are moving in the
c) both 'a' and 'b' d) neither 'a' nor 'b' same direction
227. Doppler effect for light depends on b) the source and the observer both are at rest
a) velocity of source c) there is a relative motion between the source
b) velocity of observer and the observer
c) relative velocity of source and observer d) resultant motion between the source and
observer
d) none of these
234. The Doppler effect can be observed in the
228. Due to Doppler effect, a wavelength in the middle

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 Wave Theory of Light
following case(s) :
a) in the shift of frequency in the light from the
two sides of the sun due to rotation
b) in the red shift of galaxies
c) in the use of radar
d) all of these
235. Select the correct statement
a) Doppler effect for sound is symmetrical with
respect to the motion of the .sour ce and observer
b) There occurs a transverse Doppler shift for
sound
c) Doppler effect for light is symmetrical with
respect to the motion of the source and observer
d) All of these
236. The velocity of light emitted by a source Sand
observed by an observer 0, who is at rest with
respect to S is c. If the observer moves towards
S with velocity v, the velocity of light as observed
will be
a) c + v b) c – v
c) c d) 1  (c 2 /v 2 )
237. A star emits a light of wavelength 1 and it is
receding from the earth with a velocity vs. The
shift in wavelength of spect~al line observed on
earth is
a) c  /vs b) –c  /vs
c) –vs  /c d) vs  /c
238. A star is moving away from the earth with a
velocity of 100 km/s. If the velocity of light is
3 × 108 m/s, then the shift of its spectral line of
wavelength 5700 Å due to Doppler's effect will
be
a) 0.63 Å b) 1.90 Å
c) 3.80 Å d) 5.70 Å
239. Due to Doppler effect, the shift in wavelength
observed is 0.1 Å for a star producing wavelength
6000 Å. Velocity of recession of the star will be
a) 2.5 km/s b) 10 km/s
c) 5 km/s d) 20 km/s
240. An astronaut is approaching the moon. He sends
a radio wave of frequency 5 × 109 Hz towards
the moon. The frequency of the radio echo
received by him has a frequency 9 × 104 Hz more
than that of real frequency. The relative velocity
of the rocket with respect to the moon is
a) 1.35 km/s b) 2.70 km/s
c) 4.05 km/s d) 5.40 km/s
25
241. Doppler effect is independent of
a) distance between source and observer
b) velocity of source
c) velocity of listener
d) none of the above
Examples for practice
242. The velocity of light in glass medium is 2 × 108
m/s. The refractive index of glass if speed of light
in air is 3 × 108 m/s is
a) 1.5 b) 1.25
c) 2.5 d) 2.25
243. The values of velocity of light in media of
refractive index 1.41 and 1.8 are respectively
a) 3.127 × 108 m/s, 0.666 × 108 m/s
b) 1.127 × 108 m/s, 2.666 × 108 m/s
c) 2.127 × 108 m/s, 1.666 × 108 m/s
d) 3.127 × 108 m/s, 2.666 × 108 m/s
244. The velocities of light in glass and water medium
of the refractive index 3/2 and 4/3 respectively
are
a) 1 × 108 m/s ; 3.25 × 108 m/s
b) 2 × 108 m/s ; 2.25 × 108 m/s
c) 3 × 108 m/s ; 1.25 × 108 m/s
d) 3 × 108 m/s ; 3.25 × 108 m/s
245. Find the velocity of light in water, if its velocity in
glass of refractive index 1.5 is 2 × 108 m/s. The
refractive index of water is 1.33.
a) 1.25 × 108 m/s b) 2.20 × 108 m/s
c) 2.15 × 10 m/s
8
d) 2.25 × 108 m/s
246. The velocities of light in ice and diamond are
2.3 × 108 m/s and 1.25 × 108 m/s respectively.
The R.I. of diamond with respect to ice is
a) 1.84 b) 2.84
c) 0.84 d) 1.24
247. The speed of light in air and glass is 3 × 108 m/s,
and 2 × 108 m/s respectively. A beamof light falls
on a glass at an angle of 30° with the surface.
The angle of refraction in glass is
a) 25° 16' b) 35° 16'
c) 15° 26' d) 30° 16'
248. A beam of light is incident on glass slab making
an angle of 60° with the surface. The angle of
refraction and the velocity of light in glass of R.I.
1.5 are
a) 19° 28',3 × 108 m/s b) 29°28', 2 × 108 m/s
c) 19°28', 2 × 108 m/s d) 29°28', 3 × 108 m/s
249. A ray of light is incident on ice slab making an

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 Wave Theory of Light 26
angle of 50° with the normal. The angle of is 5200 Å, the wavelength and frequency in glass
refraction and velocity of light in ice of the of R 1.1.6 are nearly
refractive index 1.3 are a) 3500°, 5.77 × 1014 Hz
a) 35° 6', 2.307 × 108 m/s b) 4000°, 5.77 × 1014 Hz
b) 36° 6', 2.307 × 108 m/s c) 3250°, 5.77 × 1014 Hz
c) 36° 6', 3.307 × 108 m/s d) 3300°, 5.16 × 1014 Hz
d) 35° 6', 3.307 × 108 m/s 257. The refractive indices of alcohol and glass are
250. The diamond has refractive index of 2.4 for 1.35 and 1.5 respectively. The refractive index
sodium light of wavelength 5893 Å in air. The of glass with respect to alcohol is
speed and wavelength of this light in diamond are a) 1.11 b) 2.22
a) 2.25 × 108 m/s, 2455 Å c) 0.11 d) 3.11
b) 1.25 × 108 m/s, 1455 Å 258. For a light wave of certain frequency, the
c) 1.25 × 108 m/s, 2455 Å difference in wavelengths in alcohol (R.I. = 1.35)
d) 2.25 × 108 m/s, 2355 Å and glass (R.I. = 1.5) is 400 Å. Wavelength of
251. The wavelength and frequency of beam of light light in vacuum is
in water of R.I. 4/3 having wavelength 0.48 a) 3400 Å b) 5400 Å
micron in air are c) 6400 Å d) 4400 Å
a) 0.16 × 10–6 m, 6.25 × 1014 Hz 259. The wavelength difference of light waves of wave
b) 0.36 × 10–6 m, 6.25 × 1014 Hz numbers 2 × 106 per meter and 2.25 × 106 per
c) 0.36 × 10–6 m, 3.25 × 1014 Hz meter is
d) 0.26 × 10–6 m, 6.25 × 1014 Hz a) 0.556 × 10–6 m b) 0.0556 × 106 m
252. The change in the wavelength of light when it c) 0.0556 × 10–6 m d) 0.556 × 106 m
travels from air to glass of refractive index 1.5 260. A beam of light is incident on a water surface of
and the frequency of light 4 × 1014 Hz is angle of incidence 60° and R.I. of water is 4/3.
a) 2500 Å b) 2000 Å The ratio of width of incident wavefront to
c) 1500 Å d) 3500 Å refracted wavefront is
253. The critical angle of a certain medium is 40.2°. a) 0.66 b) 0.16
The speed of light in that medium is c) 1.16 d) 2.66
a) 2.936 × 108 m/s b) 3.936 × 108 m/s Questions given in MHT–CET
c) 1.936 × 108 m/s d) 4.936 × 108 m/s
261. A ray of light is incident on the surface of
254. A beam of light of wavelength 6400 Å is incident
separation of a medium with the velocity of light
normally on a parallel glass plate of 5 cm thick
at an angle 45° and is refracted in the medium at
and RI. 1.6. The beam takes the same time to
an angle 30°. What will be the velocity of light in
travel from source to incident surface and through
the medium?
the glass plate. The distance of source from
a) 1.96 × 108 m/s b) 2.12 × 108 m/s
incident surface is
c) 3.18 × 108 m/s d) 3.33 × 108 m/s
a) 7.5 cm b) 6 cm
262. The refractive index of water and glass with
c) 10 cm d) 8 cm
respect to air is 1.3 and 1.5 respectively, what
255. The wavelength of green colour in air and violet
will be the refractive index of glass with respect
colour in water are 5381 Å and 3042 Å
to water?
respectively. If the wavelength of green colour
in water is the same as the wavelength of violet 1.5 1.3
a) b)
colour in air, find its value. (Assume that refractive 1.3 1.5
index for green and violet colour is approximately
same) 1.5 2.6
c) d)
a) 4046 Å b) 3046 Å 2.6 1.5
c) 3000 Å d) 2000 Å 263. The X–rays can be diffracted by means of an
256. The wavelength of a beam of light in air medium ordinary grating because of

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 Wave Theory of Light 27
a) high speed b) short wavelength a) 4 sec b) 1/4 sec
c) large wavelength d) none of these c) 1/2 sec d) 2 sec
264. The nature of light waves is similar to 273. If light travels from vacuum to water, its
a) alpha rays b) gamma rays wavelength
c) cathode rays d) cosmic rays a) increases
265. If the critical angle for total internal reflection, b) remains constant
from a medium to vacuum is 30°, then velocity of c) decreases
light in the medium is d) may increases or decreases
a) 6 × 108 m/sec b) 3 × 108 m/sec 274. A light of wavelength 6000 Å travels from rarer
c) 2 × 108 m/sec d) 1.5 × 108 m/sec medium to denser medium of refractive index 1.5.
266. A prism of refracting angle 60° is the made with If tis frequency in rarer medium is 5 × 1014 Hz,
a material of refractive index µ. For a certain then its frequency in denser medium will be
wavelength of light, the angle of minimum a) 3.3 × 1014 Hz b) 5 × 1014 Hz
deviation is 30°. For this wavelength the value of c) 2.5 × 107 Hz d) 7.5 × 1014 Hz
µ of material is 275. A light passes through glass slab of refractive
a) 1.820 b) 1.503 index 1.5 and thickness 2 mm. How much time
c) 1.414 d) 1.231 ray will take to pass through the glass slab?
267. A ray of light is incident on a glass of refractive a) 10–16 s b) 10–11 s
index 1.5. The angle between the reflected and c) 10–8 s d) 10–17 s
refracted rays is 90°. what is the ratio of 276. The ratio of velocity of light in glass to that in
wavelength of reflected to refracted rays? water is (refractive index of glass = 1.5 and
a) 2.1 b) 1.5 refractive index of waver =1.33)
c) 1.6 d) 1.7 a) 0.6803 : 1 b) 0.4989 : 1
368. A wave of light having frequency 4 × 1014 Hz c) 0.8867 : 1 d) 0.2504 : 1
and speed of light 3 × 108 m/s enters glass of R.I. 277. The change in wavelength of light of frequency
1.5. Change in wavelength is 4 × 1014 Hz, when it passes from air to glass, is
a) 2.5 × 10–7 m b) 2.5 × 10–6 m (µglass = 1.5)
c) 2.5 × 10–8 m d) 2.5 × 10–9 m a) 2500 Å b) 3500 Å
269. A diver can be see the sunset at an angle of c) 3000 Å d) 2000 Å
(R.I. of water = 4/3) 278. Refractive index of glass with respect to medium
a) sin–1 (4/3) b) sin–1 (1/3) is 4/3. If vm – vg = 6.25 × 107, then velocity of
c) sin (1/4)
–1
d) sin–1 (3/4) light in medium is
270. The wavelength of light is 5000 Å. Find the wave a) 2.5 × 108 m/sec b) 1.5 × 107 m/sec
number. c) 2.25 × 108 m/sec d) 4.5 × 107 m/sec
a) 5 × 106 b) 2 × 106 279. A light wave enters from air into a medium of
c) 3 × 106 d) 1 × 106 refractive index 4/3. If wavelength of light in air
271. According to Newton's corpuscular theory is 6000 Å, then the wave number of light in
a) velocity of light in denser medium is less than medium is
velocity of light in rarer medium a) 1.1 × 106 b) 4.4 × 106
b) velocity of light in denser medium is greater c) 2.2 × 106 d) 6 × 106
than velocity of light in rarer medium 280. The velocity of light in glass is 2 × 108 m/s. If
c) velocity of light in denser medium is equal to refractive index of glass with 'respect to water is
velocity of light in rarer medium 9/8, then the velocity of light in water is
d) velocity of light in independent on medium a) 1.6 × 108 m/s b) 1.33 × 108 m/s
through which it travelled c) 3 × 108 m/s d) 2.25 × 108 m/s
272. Light passes through glass of refractive index 1.5. 281. The wave theory of light does not explain
What is time required for light to travel 4 × 108 a) interference b) refraction
m in glass?

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 Wave Theory of Light 28
c) photoelectric effect d) diffraction deviation is 24°, then angle of incidence is
282. Light enters from air into a medium of RI. 1.5. a) 24° b) 57°
Percentage change in its wavelength is c) 66° d) 90°
a) 66.66 % b) 50 % 292. If light travels from vacuum to water, its
c) 33.33 % d) 25 % wavelength
283. Time taken by the light to travel through 5 cm of a) increases
glass is same as that through x cm of air. RI. of b) remains constant
glass is 1.5, then x is c) decreases
a) 7.5 cm b) 1.33 cm d) may increases or decreases
c) 9 cm d) 6 cm 293. A light of wavelength 6000 Å travels from rarer
284. Light enters glass from water, then medium to denser medium of refractive index 1.5.
a) wavelength remains same If tis frequency in rarer medium is 5 × 1014 Hz,
b) wavelength decreases then its frequency in denser medium will be
c) frequency increases a) 3.3 × 1014 Hz b) 5 × 1014 Hz
d) wavelength increases c) 2.5 × 107 Hz d) 7.5 × 1014 Hz
285. Light is incident on a substance of refractive index 294. The tourmaline crystal
a) absorbs ordinary light and tranmits extra
2 at an angle of 45°. What is the ratio of width
ordinary
of beam in air to the medium?
b) absorbs extra ordinary light and tranmits
a) 3 : 2 b) 1 : 1.5 ordinary
c) 1 : 2 2 d) 2 : 3 c) both absorbs ordinary light and extra ordinary
d) both transmits ordinary light and extra ordinary
286. Huygen's Wave Theory of Light could not explain
295. The angle of refraction is found to be half the
a) reflection b) refraction
angle of refraction. Then refractive index of
c) interference d) photoelectric effect medium is
287. If the polarising angle for a given medium is 60°, a) 2 cos–1 (µ/2) b) cos–1(µ)
then the refractive index of the medium is
c) 2 sin (µ)
–1
d) 2 cos–1 (µ)
1 296. In Nicol prism Canada balsam acts as an ........
a) b) 1 medium for the extra ordinary ray
3
a) optically rarer b) optically denser
3 c) opaque d) none of these
c) d) 3
2 297. A light ray is travelling from air to medium, c is
288. The refractive indices of glass and diamond with velocity of light in air and v is velocity of light in
respect to air are 1.5 and 2.4 respectively. The medium. The reflected and refracted rays are
refractive index of diamond with respect to glass perpendicular to each other. The angle of
is polarisation is
a) 0.62 b) 0.9 a)  p = tan–1 (v/c) b)  p = cos–1 (v/c)
c) 1.95 d) 1.6 c)  = cot–1 (v/c) d)  p = sin–1 (v/c)
289. The nature of light waves is similar to 298. A pfano convex lens fits exactly into a plano
a) alpha rays b) gamma rays concave lens. Their plane surface are parallel to
c) cathode rays d) cosmic rays each other. If lenses are made of different
290. If the critical angle for total internal reflection, materials of refractive indices µ1 and µ2 and R is
from a medium to vacuum is 30°, then velocity of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of
light in the medium is the lenses then the focal length of the ombintion
a) 6 × 108 m/sec b) 3 × 108 m/sec is
c) 2 × 108 m/sec d) 1.5 × 108 m/sec R R
291. A ray of light is incident at polarising such that its a) 2(µ  µ ) b) (µ  µ )
1 2 1 2

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 Wave Theory of Light 29

2R R  5T   5t 
c) (µ  µ ) d) 2(µ  µ ) a) sin–1   b) sin–1  
1 2 1 2  t   3T 
299. For a normal eye, the cornea of eye provides a
 5t   3t 
converging power of 400 and the least converging c) sin–1   d) sin–1  
power of the eye lens behind the cornea is 20 D. T  5T 
Using this information the distance between the 302. A light is travelling from air into a medium.
retina and the cornea–eye lens can be estimated Velocity of light in a medium is reduced to 0.75
to be times the velocity in air. Assume that angle of
a) 2.5 cm b) 1.67 cm incidence 'i' is very small, the deviation of the ray
c) 1.5 cm d) 5 cm is
300. The equiconvex lens has focal length 'f'. If it is i
cut perpendicular to the principal axis passing a) i b)
3
through optical centre, then focal length of each
half is i 3i
c) d)
f 4 4
a) b) f 303. For the same angle of incidence of refraction in
2
media 'P', 'Q', 'R' and '5' are 50°, 40°, 30°, 20°
3f respectively. The speed of light is minimum in
c) d) 2f
2 medium
301. In vacuum, to travel distance 'd', light takes time a) P b) Q
't' and in medium to travel distance '5d', it takes c) R d) S
time 'T'. The critical angle of the medium is 

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