RAY OPTICS

SECTION A

1. By starting the sign convention and assumptions used, derive the relation between object distance
𝑢, image distance 𝑣 and focal length 𝑓 for a concave mirror, when it forms a real image of an
object of finite size.
2. Derive the relation between object distance 𝑢, image distance 𝑣 and focal length 𝑓 for a concave
mirror, when it forms a virtual image.
3. Establish the relationship between object distance, image distance and radius of curvature for a
common mirror.
4. Define magnification. Write the expressions for magnification for (i) a concave mirror and (ii) a
convex mirror. Express 𝑚 in terms of 𝑢, 𝑣 and 𝑓.
5. By stating the sign-convention and assumptions used, derive the relation between the distance of
object, distance of image and radius of curvature of a convex spherical surface, when refraction
takes place
(i) from optically rarer to optically denser medium and the image formed is real,
(ii) from optically denser to optically rarer medium and the image formed is real.
6. Derive the lens maker’s formula for a double convex lens. State the assumptions made and the
convention of signs used.
7. Discuss the phenomenon of refraction through a prism. Derive an expression for the angle of
deviation for a ray of light passing through an equilateral prism of refracting angle 𝐴.
8. Discuss the variation of the angle of deviation with that of the angle of incidence for a ray of light
passing through a prism. Derive an expression for the refractive index of the material of a prism
in terms of the angle of prism and the angle of minimum deviation.
9. Derive an expression for the angle of deviation of a small prism in terms of the refractive index
and the angle of the prism.
10. What is a simple microscope? Give its working principle. Write expressions for its magnifying
power when it forms final image at the least distance of distinct vision and at infinity.
11. With the help of a ray diagram, explain the construction and working of a compound microscope.
Write an expression for its magnifying power.
12. (i) Draw a labelled ray diagram of a compound microscope, showing the formation of image at
the near point of the eye. (ii) A compound microscope uses an objective lens of focal length 4 𝑐𝑚
and eyelens of focal length 10 𝑐𝑚. An object is place at 6 𝑐𝑚 from the objective lens. (a) Calculate
magnifying power of compound microscope, if the final image is formed at the near point.
(b) Calculate the length of the compound microscope also.
13. What is an astronomical telescope? Give its construction. With the help of ray diagrams, explain
its working when it forms final image at least distance of distinct vision and at infinity. Deduce
expression for magnifying power when the final image is formed at infinity

.
14. With the help of labeled diagram, explain the construction and working of Cassegrain reflecting
telescope.
15. State some important advantages of reflecting type telescope over a refracting type telescope.
16. Explain the basic differences between the construction and working of a telescope and a
microscope.
17. The objective telescope 𝐴 has a diameter 3 times that of the objective telescope 𝐵.
(a) How much greater amount of light is gathered by 𝐴 compared to 𝐵.
(b) Show that the range of 𝐴 is three times the range of 𝐵.
(c) A telescope increases the brightness of the background to what is seen by unaided eye. Thus,
it facilitates observation by improving the contrast between a star and its background. Explain
this statement carefully.
SECTION B

1. State the laws of refraction of light.

2. Define refractive index of a medium in terms of (i) speed and (ii) wavelength, of light. What is
relative refractive index?
3. Why is the apparent depth of an object placed in a denser medium less than the real depth? For
viewing near the normal direction, show that the apparent depth is real depth divided by the
refractive index of the medium. What is normal shift? Write an expression for it.
4. Explain how does the refraction of light affect the length of the day.

5. The sun near the horizon appears flattered at sunset and sunrise. Why?
6. Explain the phenomenon of total internal reflection. Under what conditions does it take place?
Derive the relation connecting the refractive index and critical angle for a given pair of media.
7. What is a totally reflecting prism? How can it be used to (i) deviate a ray through 900 (ii) derive a
ray through 1800 and (iii) invert an image without the deviation of the rays.
8. What are optical fibres? On which principle do they work? How does light propagate through an
optical fibre? What is alight pipe?
9. What is meant by power of lens? Give and define its SI unit. Which type of lens has a positive
power and which one negative? Express power of a lens in terms of its refractive index and radii of
curvature.
10. Why do we use lens combinations in optical instruments? Write an expression for the total
magnification produced by combination of lenses.
11. What is an equivalent lens? Obtain an expression for the effect focal length of two thin lenses placed
in contact coaxially with each other.
12. What do you mean by scattering of light? What are elastic and inelastic scatterings?
13. Explain different phenomena of daily life which\fh are based on scattering of light.
14. What is a rainbow? Explain the formation of primary and secondary rainbow.
15. On what factors, does the normal shift through a refracting medium depend?
Ans: The normal depends on (i) the thickness of the refracting medium and (ii) its refractive index.
16. Does critical angle depend on colour of light? Explain.
 Ans: Yes. As sin 𝑖𝑐 = 1/𝜇 i.e., 𝑖𝑐 depends on 𝜇, but 𝜇 depends on wavelength 𝜆. Hence 𝑖𝑐 depends
on colour of light.
17. The critical angle for glass-air interface is 𝑖𝑐 . Will the critical angle for glass-water interface be
greater than or less than 𝑖𝑐 ?
1
Ans: For glass-air interface; sin 𝑖𝑐 = 𝑎 . The critical angle 𝑖𝑐′ for glass-water interface is given by,
𝜇𝑔
1
sin 𝑖𝑐′ =𝑤 .
𝜇𝑔

Now 𝑤𝜇𝑔 < 𝑎𝜇𝑔 , therefore, sin 𝑖𝑐′ > sin 𝑖𝑐 or 𝑖𝑐′ > 𝑖𝑐 .
18. The focal length of an equiconvex lens is equal to the radius of curvature of either face what is the
refractive index of the lens material?
Ans: Here. 𝑅1 = +𝑅, 𝑅2 = −𝑅 and 𝑓 = 𝑅.
1 1 1 1 1 1
As, 𝑓 = (𝜇 − 1) [𝑅 − 𝑅 ] Therefore 𝑅 = (𝜇 − 1) [𝑅 + 𝑅 ].
1 1
Or. 𝜇 = 1.5.
19. Why does bluish colour predominate in a clear sky?
Ans: Blue colour of the sky is due to scattering of sunlight by air molecules. According to
Rayleigh’s law, intensity of scattered light, 𝐼 = 1/𝜆4. As blue light has the minimum wavelength
so sky appears blue.
20. Why do clouds appear white?
Ans: Clouds have large particles like dust and water droplets which scatter light of all colours
almost equally. Hence clouds generally appear white.
21. Why should the objective of a telescope have large focal length and large aperture? Justify your
answer.
Ans: Large focal length of the objective increases the magnifying power of the telescope. 𝑚 =
𝑓0 /𝑓𝑒 . Large aperture of the objective increases the resolving power of the telescope. R.P. of a
telescope= 𝐷/1.22𝜆.
22. Suppose that the lower half of a concave mirror’s reflecting surface is covered with non-reflective
soot. What effect will this have on the image of an object placed in front of the mirror?
Ans: At first sight, it appears that the image will be half of the object, but taking the laws of
reflection to be true for all points of the mirror the image will be of the whole object. However, as
the area of the reflecting surface has reduced, the intensity of the image will be dim.
23. A microscope is focused on a dot at the bottom of a beaker. Some oil is poured into the beaker to a
height of 𝑦 𝑐𝑚 and it is found necessary to raise the microscope through a vertical distance of 𝑥 𝑐𝑚
to bring the dot again into the focus. Express refractive index of oil in terms of 𝑥 and 𝑦.
Ans: Real depth= 𝑦 𝑐𝑚; Apparent depth= 𝑦 − 𝑥 𝑐𝑚.
Refractive index of oil, 𝜇 = 𝑦/(𝑦 − 𝑥)
24. A concave mirror and a convex lens are held in water. What change, if any, do you expect to find
in the focal length of either?
Ans: Focal length of a convex mirror is about half of its radius of curvature and it has nothing to
do with the external medium. It remans same in water.
1
The focal length of a convex lens depends on the refractive index as 𝑓 ∝ 𝜇−1, so focal length
increases when the convex lens is held in water.
25. Draw a graph showing the variation of linear magnification with image distance for a thin convex
lens. How can this graph be used for finding the focal length of the lens?
Ans: 𝑚 = (𝑓 − 𝑣)/𝑓
26. Which two of the following lenses 𝐿1 , 𝐿2 and 𝐿3 will you select as objective and eyepiece for
constructing best possible (i) telescope (ii) microscope? Give reason to support your answer.
Lenses Power (P) Aperture (A)
𝐿1 3D 8 cm
𝐿2 6D 1 cm
𝐿3 10 D 1 cm
Ans: (i) Telescope, 𝐿1 as objective and 𝐿3as eye piece.
Reason: The objective should have large aperture and large focal length while the eyepiece should
have small aperture and small focal length. Then the light gathering power and magnifying power
will be larger.
(ii) Microscope. 𝐿3as objective and 𝐿2as eyepiece.
Reason: Both the lenses of the microscope should have short focal lengths and focal length of the
objective should be smaller than that of the eyepiece. Magnifying power will be larger for short
focal lengths of objective and eyepiece.
27. Four double convex lenses, with the following specifications are available:
Lenses Focal length Aperture
A 100 cm 10 cm
B 100 cm 5 cm
C 10 cm 2 cm
D 5 cm 2 cm
Which two of the given four lenses, should be selected as the objective and eyepiece to construct
an astronomical telescope and why? What will be the magnifying power and normal length of the
telescope tube so constructed?
Write the advantages of reflecting type telescope over such a telescope.
Ans: For constructing astronomical telescope, lens. A should be used as objective because of its
large focal length and large aperture. Lens D should be used as its eyepiece because of its small
focal length and small aperture.
𝑚 = 20
Normal length= 100+5= 105 cm.
Advantages of reflecting telescope are:
(i) No chromatic aberration.
(ii) Bright image because there is no loss of intensity due to reflection and absorption by
objective.
Section C
1. A point ‘O’ marked on the surface of a glass sphere of diameter 20 cm is viewed through glass
from the position directly opposite to the point O. If the refractive index of the glass is 1.5, find
the position of the image formed. Also, draw the ray diagram for the formation of the image.
Hints:
 2. Find the position of the image formed by the lens combination given in the figure below.

Hints: Three images formed due to three lenses. And final image is formed 30 cm to the right of
the third lens.

3. An equiconvex lens with radii of curvature of magnitude R each, is put over a liquid layer
poured on top of a prime mirror. A small needle, with its tip on the principal axis of the lens, is
moved along the axis until its inverted real image coincides with the needle itself. The distance
of the needle from the lens is measured to be ‘a’ On removing the liquid layer and repeating the
experiment the distance is found to be ‘b’.
Given that two values of distances measured represent the focal length values in the two cases,
obtain a formula for the refractive index of the liquid.
Ans:

Clearly, equivalent focal length of equiconvex lens and water lens, 𝑓 = 𝑎

Focal length of equiconvex lens, 𝑓1 = 𝑏.
𝑎𝑏 (𝑎−𝑏)𝑅
Focal length 𝑓2 of water lens is given by 𝑓2 = 𝑏−𝑎. Using lens maker’s formula, 𝜇 = 1 + .
𝑎𝑏

2. An astronomical telescope of ten fold angular magnification

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
has a length of 44 cm. The focal
1. If two mirrors are kept at 45° to each other and a length of the objective is :
body is placed in the middle then total number (a) 44 cm (b) 440 cm
of images formed is : (c) 40 cm (d) 4 cm
(a) 7 (b) 8 3. The refractive index of diamond is 2.0, velocity of light in
(c) 14 (d) 4 diamond in cm per second is
 approximately : 6. How can the chromatic aberration be corrected
10 10
(a) 1.5× 10 (b) 2.0× 10
10 10 (a) By providing different suitable curvature
(c) 6×10 (d) 3×10
4. A cylindrical vessel is filled with water (µ = 4/3) to its two surface
as shown in figure. A coin placed in water at the (b) By combining it with another lens of
bottom appears upto maximum distance of : opposite nature
(c) By reducing its aperture
(d) By providing proper polishing of its two
surfaces
H 7. When a beam of light from air enters into the
water, the characteristics of light will not be
changed, is :
(a) frequency (b) speed
3H (c) colour (d) amplitude
(a) 4 from the surface 8. Mirage is a phenomenon due to :
H (a) refraction of light
(b) diffraction of light
(b) 4 from the surface (c) total internal reflection of light
(c) H from the surface
(d) none of these
H 9. In an astronomical microscope, the focal length
(d) 2 from the surface of the objective is made :
5. The critical angle for the material of a prism is (a) shorter than that of the eye piece
45°and its refracting angle is 30°. A (b) greater than that of the eye piece
monochromatic ray goes out perpendicular to the (c) half of the eye piece
surface of emergence from the prism. Then the (d) equal to that of the eye piece
angle of incidence on the prism will be : 10. Light appears to travel in a straight line, because
(a) 60° (b) 75° (a) its wavelength is very small
(c) 45° (d) 30° (b) its velocity is large
(c) it is not absorbed by surroundings
(d) it is reflected by surroundings
11. Sky appears to be blue in clear atmosphere due
to which property of light :
(a) Scattering (b) Polarization
(c) Diffraction (d) Dispersion
12. A doctor prescribes spectacles to a patient with a
combination of a convex lens of focal length
40 cm, and concave lens of focal length 25 cm
then the power of spectacles will be :
(a) –6.5D (b) 1.5D
(c) –1.5D (d) –8.5D
13. Match the items in list-1 with items in list-II and
collect the correct answers from the codes given
v v
below the lists
(a) (b)
List- List-
u u
I. Myopia A. Bifocal lens
II. Hyper-metropia B. Cylindrical lens
III. Presbyopia C. Concave lens v v
IV. Astigmation D. Convex lens (c) (d)
(a) I-D,II-C,III-A,IV-B u u
(b) I-C,II-D,III-A,IV-B 20. An object is immersed in a fluid. In order that the
(c) I-B,II-D,III-A,IV-C object becomes invisible, it should :
(d) I-A,II-B,III-C,IV-D (a) behave as a perfect reflector
(b) absorb all light falling on it
14. When a ray of light enters a glass slab, then
(c) have refractive index one
(d) have refractive index exactly matching
(a) its frequency and wavelength changes with that of the surrounding fluid
(b) its frequency does not change 21. Sodium lamps are used in foggy conditions
(c) only frequency changes because :
(d) its frequency and velocity changes (a) yellow light is scattered less by the fog
15. An equilateral prism is made of a material of particles
refractive index 3 . The angle of minimum (b) yellow light is scattered more by the fog
particles
deviation for the prism is
(c) yellow light is unaffected during its
(a) 90° (b) 60° passage through the fog
(c) 45° (d) 30° (d) Wavelength of yellow light is the mean
16. A concave mirror having the focal length 15 cm, of the visible part of the spectrum
forms an image having twice of the linear 22. An endoscope is employed by a physician to
dimensions of the object. If the image is virtual, view the internal parts of a body organ. It is
then the position of the object will be : based on the principle of :
(a) 7.5 cm (b) 22.5 cm (a) refraction
(c) 40 cm (d) 30 cm (b) reflection
17. Four lenses having the focal length of + 15 cm, (c) total internal reflection
20 cm, +150 cm, and +250 cm respectively are (d) dispersion
provided to make an astronomical telescope. The 23. A telescope has an objective lens of focal length
focal length of the eyepiece to produce the 200 cm and an eye piece with focal length 2 cm.
largest magnification, should be : If this telescope is used to see a 50 metre tall
(a) + 250 cm (b) + 155 cm building at a distance of 2 km, what is the height
of the image of the building formed by the
(c) 25 cm (d) + 15 cm
objective lens?
18. The Cauchy’s dispersion formula is
2 4 (a) 5 cm (b) 10 cm
(a) h = A + B  + C (c) 1 cm (d) 2 cm
–2 4
(b) µ = A + B  + C 24. In refraction, light waves are bent on passing from
2 –4
(c) µ = A + B  + C one medium to the second medium, because,
–2 –4
(d) µ = A + B  + C in the second medium:
19. In an experiment to find the focal length of a (a) the frequency is different
concave mirror, a graph is drawn between the (b) the coefficient of elasticity is different
magnitudes of u and v. The graph looks like : (c) the speed is different
(d) the amplitude is smaller
25. 1 wire mesh consisting of very small squares is 36
viewed at a distance of S cm through a (a) (b) 36 7
7
magnifying converging lens of focal length 10
cm, kept close to the eye. The magnification (c) 45 (d) 36 5
produced by the lens is: 32. A fish in an aquarium, 30 cm deep in water can
(a) 5 (b) 8 see a light bulb kept 50 cm above the surface of
(c) 10 (d) 20 water. The fish can also see the image of this bulb
in the reflecting bottom surface of the aquarium.
26. A lens is made of flint glass (refractive index =
Total depth of water is 60 cm. Then the apparent
1.5). When the lens is immersed in a liquid of
distance between the two images
refractive index 1.25, the focal length:
(a) increases by a factor of 1.25 seen by the fish is ( w = 4/3)
760
(b) increases by a factor of 2.5 (a) 140 cm (b) cm
3
(c) increases by a factor of 1.2
(d) decreases by a factor of 1.2 280 380
(c) cm (d) cm
3 3
27. A leaf which contains only green pigments, is
illuminated by a laser light of wavelength 0.6328 33. The focal length of the objective and eye piece of a
m. It wound appear to be: telescope are respectively 200 cm and 5 cm. The
(a) brown (b) black maximum magnifying power of the telescope
will be
(c) red (d) green
(a) –100 (b) – 60
28. The focal length of the objective and eye lenses of a
(c) – 48 (d) – 40
microscope are 1.6 cm and 2.5 cm respectively. The
distance between the two lenses is 21.7 cm. If the 34. A thin prism P1 with angle 6° and made from
glass of refractive index 1.54 is combined with
final image is formed at infinity, what is the
linear magnification? another thin prism P2 of refractive index 1.72 to
produce dispersion without deviation. The angle
(a) 11 (b) 110
of prism P2 will be
(c) 1.1 (d) 44
(a) 4°30' (b) 8.5°
29. The camera lens has an aperture of f and the (c) 6.5° (d) none of these
exposure time is (1/60)s. What will be the new
35. The focal length of a converging lens are f V and
exposure time if the aperture become 1.4 f ?
fR for violet and red light respectively. Then
1 1
(a) (b)
42 56 (a) fV > fR (b) fV = fR
1 1
(c) (d) (c) fV < fR (d) any of the three is
72 31 possible depending on the value of the average
30. A thin glass (refractive index 1.5) lens has optical refractive index 
power of – 5 D in air. Its optical power in a liquid 36. A plano-convex lens of focal length 30 cm has
medium with refractive index 1.6 will be its plane surface silvered. An object is placed
(a) – 1D (b) 1 D 40 cm from the lens on the convex side. The
(c) –25D (d) 25 D distance of the image from the lens is
31. A fish looking up through the water sees the (a) 18 cm (b) 24 cm
outside world contained in a circular horizon. If (c) 30 cm (d) 40 cm
4 37. A ray of light passes through four transparent media
the refractive index of water is and the fish is
3 with refractive indices µ1, µ2, µ3 and µ4 as shown
12 cm below the surface, the radius of this circle in the figure. The surfaces of all media are parallel.
in cm is If the emergent ray CD is parallel to the
incident ray AB, we must have
 µ1 µ2 µ3 D 41. An achromatic convergent lens of focal length
20 cms is made of two lenses (in contact) of
µ4 materials having dispersive powers in the ratio of 1
: 2 and having focal lengths f1 and f2. Which
C of the following is true ?
B
(a) f1 = 10 cms, f2 = –20 cms
A
(b) f1 = 20 cms, f2 = 10cms
(a) µ1 = µ2 (b) µ2 = µ 3
(c) f1 = –10 cms, f2 = –20 cms
(c) µ3 = µ4 (d) µ4 = µ 1 f2 = –20 cms
(d) f1 = 20 cms,
38. An equilateral prism is placed on a horizontal
42. A glass prism of refractive index 1.5 is immersed
surface. A ray PQ is incident onto it. For minimum
deviation in water (refractive index 4/3). A light beam
incident normally on the face AB is totally
R reflected to reach on the face BC if
Q S
P (a) sin   8 A B

9
2  sin   8
(a) PQ is horizontal
(b) 3 9
(b) QR is horizontal
(c) RS is horizontal
(d) Any one will be horizontal (c) sin   3
39. A light ray is incident perpendicularly to one face (d) None of these
of a 90° prism and is totally internally reflected at 43. A ray of light is incident at an angle of incidence, i,
the glass-air interface. If the angle of reflection is on one face of prism of angle A (assumed to be
45°, we conclude that the refractive small) and emerges normally from the opposite face.
index 2
If the refractive index of the prism is , the
angle of incidence i, is nearly equal to
A
(a) A (b)
2
A A
(c)  (d) 2
44. A green light is incident from the water to the air
- water interface at the critical angle (). Select
the correct statement.
(a) The entire spectrum of visible light will
come out of the water at an angle of 90º to
(a) n  1 (b) n 2 the normal.
2
(b) The spectrum of visible light whose
(c) n  1 (d) n  2 frequency is less than that of green light
2 will come out to the air medium.
40. A man 160 cm high stands in front of a plane (c) The spectrum of visible light whose
mirror. His eyes are at a height of 150 cm from the frequency is more than that of green light
floor. Then the minimum length of the plane mirror will come out to the air medium.
for him to see his full length image is
(d) The entire spectrum of visible light will
(a) 85 cm (b) 170 cm
come out of the water at various angles to
(c) 80 cm (d) 340 cm
the normal
ANSWERS
1)a, 2)c, 3)a, 4)b, 5)c, 6)b, 7)a, 8)c, 9)b, 10)a,
11)a, 12)c, 13)b, 14)b, 15)b, 16)a, 17)d, 18)d,
19)c, 20)d, 21)a, 22)c, 23)a, 24)c, 25)a, 26)b,
27)b, 28)b, 29)d, 30)b, 31)a, 32)b, 33)c, 34)a,
35)c, 36)b, 37)d, 38)b, 39)b, 40)c, 41)a, 42)a,
43)a, 44)b.