Chapter

Light - Reflection and

Refraction 10
NCERT Intext Questions

Page Number 168 h′ v

m= = − = – 3 or v = 3u
1. Define the principal focus of a concave mirror. h u
Ans. The principal focus of a concave mirror is a But u = – 10 cm
point on its principal axis to which all the light −v
rays which are parallel and close to the axis, Therefore, m=
u
converges after reflection from the concave
mirror. −v
⇒ –3=
2. The radius of curvature of a spherical mirror is − 10
20 cm. What is its focal length? \ v = – 30 cm
1 Thus, the image is located at a distance of 30 cm
Ans. Focal length = × Radius of curvature
2 from the mirror on the object side of the mirror.
1 Page Number 176
= × 20 cm = 10 cm.
2
1. A ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely
3. Name a mirror that can give an erect and into water. Does the light ray bend towards the
enlarged image of an object. normal or away from the normal? Why?
Ans. Concave mirror. Ans. The light-ray bends towards the normal because
4. Why do we prefer a convex mirror as a rear- the ray of light is going from a rarer medium to
view mirror in vehicles? a denser medium.
Ans. We prefer a convex mirror as a rear-view mirror 2. Light enters from air to glass having refractive
in vehicles because of two reasons: index 1.50. What is the speed of light in the
1. A convex mirror always produces an erect glass? The speed of light in vacuum is 3 ×
image of the objects. 108 ms–1.
2. The image formed in a convex mirror is Ans. Refractive index of glass, ng = 1.50
highly diminished or much smaller than the Speed of light in vacuum, c = 3 × 108 ms–1
object, due to which a convex mirror gives
c
a wide field of view of the traffic behind. A Speed of light in glass =
convex mirror enables the driver to view n g
such larger area of the traffic behind him.
3 × 108 m/s
Page Number 171 =
1.5
1. Find the focal length of a convex mirror whose
radius of curvature is 32 cm. = 2 × 108 ms–1.
R 32 3. Find out, from Table 10.3, the medium having
Ans. R = + 32 cm and f = = = + 16cm. highest optical density. Also find the medium
2 2
with lowest optical density.
2. A concave mirror produces three times Ans. From table 10.3, diamond has highest refractive
magnified (enlarged) real image of an object index (= 2.42), so it has highest optical density.
placed at 10 cm in front of it. Where is the image
Air has lowest refractive index (= 1.0003), so it
located?
has lowest optical density.
Ans. A concave mirror produces three times
4. You are given kerosene, turpentine and water.
magnified (enlarged) real image of an object
In which of these does the light travel fastest?
placed at 10 cm in front of it because the image
Use the information given in Table 10.3.
is real, so magnification ‘m’ must be negative.

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2 | CBSE Question Bank Science – X
Ans. For kerosene, n = 1.44 Ans. Here v = + 50cm
For turpentine, n = 1.47 Because the real image is of the same size as the
For water, n = 1.33 object,
Because water has the lowest refractive index, h′ v
Therefore, m= = =–1
therefore light travels fastest in this optically h u
rarer medium than kerosene and turpentine oil. or u = – v = – 50 cm
5. The refractive index of diamond is 2.42. What is
1 1 1 1 1
the meaning of this statement? Now, = − = 
f v u  50  50
Ans. By saying that the refractive index of diamond is
2.42, we mean that the speed of light in diamond 2 1
= + = +
is lower by a factor of 2.42 relative to that in 50 25
vacuum.
or f = 25 cm = 0.25 m
Page Number: 184
1 1
1. Define 1 dioptre of power of a lens. P= = + = + 4 D.
f 0.25 m
Ans. One dioptre is the power of a lens whose focal
length is 1 metre. 3. Find the power of a concave lens of focal length
2. A convex lens forms a real and inverted image 2 m.
of a needle at a distance of 50 cm from it. Where Ans. Because the focal length of a concave lens is
is the needle placed in front of the convex lens if negative, therefore f = – 2 m
the image is equal to the size of the object ? Also,
1 −1
find the power of the lens. P= = = – 0.5 D.
f 2

NCERT Exercise Questions

1. Which one of the following materials cannot be
used to make a lens?
(a) Water (c) Plastic
(b) Glass (d) Clay
Ans. (d) Clay
2. The image formed by a concave mirror is
observed to be virtual, erect and larger than
the object. Where should be the position of the
object?
(a) Between the principal focus and the centre
of curvature
(b) At the centre of curvature
(c) Beyond the centre of curvature
(d) Between the pole of the mirror and its
principal focus.
Ans. (d) Between the pole of the mirror and its
principal focus.
3. Where should an object be placed in front of a
convex lens to get a real image of the size of the
object?
(a) At the principal focus of the lens
(b) At twice the focal length
(c) At infinity
(d) Between the optical centre of the lens and its
principal focus.
Ans. (b) At twice the focal length.
4. A spherical mirror and a thin spherical lens
have each a focal length of – 15 cm. The mirror
and the lens are likely to be:
(a) Both concave.
(b) Both convex.
(c) the mirror is concave and the lens is convex.
(d) the mirror is convex, but the lens is concave.
Ans. (a) Both concave
5. No matter how far you stand from mirror, your
image appears erect. The mirror is likely to be:
(a) plane
(b) concave
(c) convex
(d) either plane or convex.
Ans. (d) Either plane or convex.
6. Which of the following lenses would you prefer
to use while reading small letters found in a
dictionary?
(a) A convex lens of focal length 50 cm.
(b) A concave lens of focal length 50 cm.
(c) A convex lens of focal length 5 cm.
(d) A concave lens of focal length 5 cm.
Ans. (c) A convex lens of focal length 5 cm.
7. We wish to obtain an erect image of an object,
using a concave mirror of focal length 15 cm.
What should be the range of distance of the
object from the mirror? What is the nature of the
image? Is the image larger or smaller than the

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 Light - Reflection and Refraction | 3
object? Draw a ray diagram to show the image
formation in this case. B

Ans. A concave mirror gives an erect image when the A′

object is placed between the focus F and the pole 2F1 A F1 O F2 2F2
P of the concave mirror, i.e., between 0 and 15
cm from the mirror. The image thus formed will
be virtual, erect and larger than the object.
B′
M E A′
Case II: When the lower half of the lens is
A
covered.
i In this case, a ray of light coming from the object
C F B r P B′ is refracted by the upper half of the lens. These
rays meet at the other side of the lens to form the
N image of the given object, as shown in the given
8. Name the type of mirror used in the following figure.
situations.
B
(a) Headlights of a car.
(b) Side/rear-view mirror of a vehicle. F2 A′
2F A F1 2F
(c) Solar furnace. 1 O 2

Support your answer with reason.

Ans. (a) Concave mirrors are used as reflectors in
headlights of cars. When a bulb is located B′
at the focus of the concave mirror, the light 10. An object 5 cm in length is held 25 cm away from
rays after reflection from the mirror travel a converging lens of focal length 10 cm. Draw
over a large distance as a parallel beam of the ray diagram and find the position, size and
high intensity. the nature of the image formed.
(b) A convex mirror is used as a side/rear-view Ans. Here : Object distance, u = – 25 cm,
mirror of a vehicle because Object height, h = 5 cm,
1. A convex mirror always forms an erect, Focal length, f = + 10 cm
virtual and diminished image of an 1 1 1
object placed anywhere in front it. According to the lens formula,   , we
f v u
2. A convex mirror has a wider field of view
have
than a plane mirror of the same size.
(c) Large concave mirrors are used to 1 1 1
⇒ = +
concentrate sunlight to produce heat in v f u
solar furnaces. 1 1
= +
9. One-half of a convex lens is covered with a black 10 25
paper. Will this lens produce a complete image
5−2 3
of the object? Verify your answer experimentally. = =
Explain your observations. 50 50
Ans. A convex lens forms complete image of an object, ⇒ v = 16.66 cm
even if its one half is covered with black paper. It The positive value of v shows that the image is
can be explained by considering following two formed at the other side of the lens.
cases. Now, magnification,
Case I : When the upper half of the lens is Image distance
covered. m=
Object distance
In this case, a ray of light coming from the object
will be refracted by the lower half of the lens. v 16.66
= =
These rays meet at the other side of the lens to u − 25
form the image of the given object, as shown in = – 0.66
the following figure.
The negative sign shows that the image is
inverted.
But magnification,

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4 | CBSE Question Bank Science – X
Image height h′ −v −6 1
m= = Magnification, m = = = (i.e., < 1)
Object height 5 u − 30 5
or h′ = – 0.66 × 5 = – 3.3 cm The positive value of m shows that image is erect
The negative value of image height indicates and its value, which is less than 1, shows that
that the image formed is inverted. The position, image is smaller than the object. Thus, image is
size, and nature of image are shown below in virtual, erect and diminished.
the ray diagram. 13. The magnification produced by a plane mirror is
+ 1. What does this mean?
B
h′ −v
5 cm
Ans. Since magnification, m = = ∙
F2 A′ 2F2 h u
A 2F1 F1 O Given, m = + 1, so h’ = h and v = – u.
3.3 cm
1. m = 1 indicates the size of image is same as
25 cm 16.66 cm B′ that of object.
11. A concave lens of focal length 15 cm forms an 2. positive sign of m indicates that an erect
image 10 cm from the lens. How far is the object image is formed.
placed from the lens? Draw the ray diagram. The opposite signs of v and u indicates that
Ans. Focal length, f = – 15 cm, Image distance, v = image is formed on the other side of the mirror
– 10 cm (as concave lens forms the image on the from where the object is placed i.e., image is
same side of the lens) formed behind the mirror and thus image
formed is virtual.
1 1 1
From the lens formula   , we have 14. An object 5.0 cm in length is placed at a distance
f v u
of 20 cm in front of a convex mirror of radius of
1 1 1 1 1 curvature 30 cm. Find the position of the image,
⇒ = − = −
its nature and size.
u v f − 10 − 15
Ans. Since, object size, h = + 5 cm,
 32 1
= = − object distance, u = – 20 cm
30 30
and radius of curvature, R = + 30 cm
Object distance, u = – 30 cm R 30
The negative value of u indicates that the object \ Focal length, f = = + = 15 cm
2 2
is placed in front of the lens.
1 1 1
B From mirror formula,   , we have
f v u
B′
A 1 1 1
= −
2F1 F1 A′ O F2 2F2 v f u
10 cm 1 1 1 4+3 7
or =  = =
v  15  20 60 60
15 cm
30 cm 60
or v= = 8.6 cm
12. An object is placed at a distance of 10 cm from 7
a convex mirror of focal length 15 cm. Find the
·.· Magnification,
position and nature of the image.
v h′
Ans. Object distance, u = – 10 cm, Focal length, f = m= − =
u h
+ 15 cm, Image distance, v = ?
1 1 1 vh 8.6  5
From mirror formula,   , we have \ Image size, h′ = − = 
u v f u  20

1 1 1 1 1 2+3 1 = 2.15 ≅ 2.2 cm

= − =  = = or v = 6 cm A virtual, erect image of height 2.2 cm is formed
v f u  15  10 30 6
behind the mirror at a distance of 8.6 cm from
Thus, image distance, v = + 6 cm the mirror.
Because v is +ve, so a virtual image is formed at 15. An object of size 7.0 cm is placed at 27 cm
a distance of 6 cm behind the mirror. in front of a concave mirror of focal length
18 cm. At what distance from the mirror should

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 Light - Reflection and Refraction | 5
a screen be placed, so that a sharp focussed
vh ( 54)  ( 7 )
image can be obtained ? Find the size and the or image size, h′ = − =
u ( 27 )
nature of the image.
Ans. Here, object size, h = + 7.0 cm, = – 14 cm
object distance, u = – 27 cm The image is real, inverted and enlarged in size.
and focal length, f = – 18 cm 16. Find the focal length of a lens of power – 2.0 D.
Image distance, v = ? What type of lens is this?
and image size, h’ = ? Ans. Here, P = – 2.0 D
The type of lens is concave because the focal
1 1 1
From the mirror formula,   , we have length is negative.
f v u
1 1
1 1 1 \ f= = = – 0.5 m
= − P − 2.0 D
v f u
17. A doctor has prescribed a corrective lens of
1 1 1  32 1 power + 1.5 D. Find the focal length of the lens.
or = − = = −
v − 18 − 27 54 54 Is the prescribed lens diverging or converging ?
or v = – 54 cm Ans. Here, P = + 1.5 D
The screen should be placed at a distance of 1 1 10
\ f= = = + m
54 cm on the object side of the mirror to obtain P + 1.5 D 15
a sharp image. = + 0.6667 m = + 66.67 cm
Now, magnification, Because the focal length is positive, the
h′ v prescribed lens is converging.
m= = −
h u


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