VISHWABHARATI PUBLIC SCHOOL, Amravati

Prepared by Physics Teacher: Er. Pankaj Paithankar

Grade 10; Subject: Physics

Chapter 11 Human eye and Colourful World

The human eye uses light from external source, which enables us to see the objects around us. Human eyes do
not produce any light of their own. They use the reflected light from external sources to see objects. It has a
lens in its structure.

Which type of lens the human eye has?

Answer: The human eye has a convex lens. Cornea is convex in front and concave in the
back. Retina has a concave surface.
1. A biconvex lens is the type of lens found in the human eye, and it is responsible for forming images.
2. It works by focusing light rays onto the retina.
3. The eye lens is made up of peculiar elongated cells that have no blood supply and rely on the aqueous
humor for nutrition.

Atmospheric Optical Phenomena

Atmospheric optical phenomena are created when sunlight or moonlight interacts with different atmospheric
components like clouds, dust, water vapour and gases. The interaction of solar wind with
certain atmospheric gases can also cause these optical phenomena.
Atmospheric optics is the scientific study and explanation of the unique and stunning optical effects in the
sky. It encompasses the principles of physics that help answer common questions like why the sky appears
blue, why certain clouds are white while others appear dark, and how rainbows are formed.

Atmospheric Optical Phenomena Causes

Atmospheric optical phenomena occur when light passing through the atmosphere is obstructed and/or
deflected. Air molecules, aerosol particles and various hydrometeors, such as cloud droplets and raindrops,
can cause these obstructions. Deflection can happen through different mechanisms: reflection, refraction,
diffraction, scattering and absorption. For example, mirages are caused by refraction, rainbows by
reflection and refraction, and the sky’s colour by scattering.

Types of Atmospheric Optical Phenomena

 Blue Skies and White Clouds
 Rainbow
 Mirage
 Afterglow
 Crepuscular Rays
 Haze

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Q1 What is the meaning of atmospheric optics?
Atmospheric optics is the scientific study and explanation of the unique and stunning optical effects visible
in the sky.

Q2 What is an example of an atmospheric optical phenomenon?

A rainbow is one of the famous examples of an atmospheric optical phenomenon.

Q3 Why do smoke and dust particles reduce visibility?

Smoke and dust particles in the atmosphere absorb some of the light, while the remaining light gets
scattered and fails to reach the observer. If the quantity of pollutants increases, the amount of light
absorption and scattering also increases, resulting in reduced clarity and altered colour of the objects
perceived.

Q4 How are atmospheric optical phenomena formed?

Atmospheric optical phenomena occur when light passing through the atmosphere is obstructed and/or
deflected, often in a specific manner. Air molecules, aerosol particles and various hydrometeors, such as
cloud droplets and raindrops, can cause these obstructions.

Q5 What are the factors affecting atmospheric optical phenomena?

The interaction of light with individual particles can often explain the geometry and colouration of
atmospheric optical phenomena.

Human Eye:
Human eye is one of the most beautiful and complex human organs. This is used to see various objects.
It allows us to see various colors and help to identify various objects around us. We can compare the
human eye to the camera that we see in our daily lives on our phones, laptops, tablets, and others.
Human eye can be called the living camera that transfers information about our surroundings to the brain
so our brain can process this information and allow us to see the surroundings.
The light from various objects reaches our eyes and then our eyes transfer the information from the light
to the brain and then the brain forms the image of the object around us.
The human eye can be compared to a camera which allows light to pass through its sensor and forms the
image. The human eye is a spherical ball of diameter 2.3 cm and is filled with some fluid . The size of
eyeballs in all humans is almost fixed but can vary marginally.

Explain the structure and functioning of the human eye. How are we able to see nearby and distant
objects?

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The human eye is a spherical structure of diameter 2.3 cm and there is some fluid filled inside the eye. It
is connected to the human skull through some muscles that allow the eyeball to move freely inside the
eye cavity. The eye cavity is protected from the outside by the eyelid which provides the required
protection to the eyes from foreign particles.

Parts of the Eye

The human eye is made up of various parts and all of the important parts of the human eye are listed
below.
 Vitreous Chamber  Lens
 Sclera  Retina
 Cornea  Optic Nerves:
 Iris  Rods
 Pupil  Cones

Vitreous Chamber: The inner volume of the eyeball where the eyeball is placed is called the Vitreous
chamber. It maintains the proper pressure within the eye.
Sclera: The outer covering of the eyeball acts as a protective covering and is called the sclera. It is the
white part of the eyeball.
Cornea: The part of the eye through which the light enters the eyeball is called the cornea. It is the front
part of the Sclera.
Iris: The dark ring-like structure of the eye inside the cornea is called the Iris of the eye. It is the part that
provides colour to the eyes and it helps the brain to adjust the exposure of the light entering the eyes.
Pupil: The pupil is a small opening in the Iris that allows the entry of light inside the eyeball. It is
controlled by the Iris.
Crystalline Lens: The lens is actually a lens made of muscles that is placed behind the iris that allows
light to converge on the specific point inside the eye to form the image. The lens can adjust its focal
length to allow light from all the sources to converge accordingly.
Retina: The light-sensitive layer at the end of the eyeball, where the light ray meets and the image is
formed in the retina of the eye and the retina converts this image into electrical impulses that are then
sent to the brain.
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Optic Nerves: A nerve connected to the retina that transfers all the electrical information to the human
brain is called the Optic Nerve. There are two types of optic nerves,
 Rods: These are the nerve cell that helps in peripheral vision and it is sensitive to even low
light.
 Cones: These are the nerve cell that is used in visualizing various colors and are more
sensitive to bright light.

Working or Functioning of the Human Eye

Human eye is a sensory organ that allows us to see by gathering information from the light. It can be
compared to the camera and its working is as follows,
 The light first enters the eye from the cornea.
 The intensity of the light is then adjusted by the Irisis by changing the size of the pupil.
 It is then focused in the eye lens, which focuses it to meet at the retina of the eye.
 Then the image is formed on the retina where rod cells and cone cells capture all the
information about the object.
 The optic nerve then transfers all this information to the brain which then forms the image of
the object.
At the junction of the optic nerve and retina, there are no sensory nerve cells. So no vision is possible at
that point and is known as a blind spot.
An eye also consists of six muscles. It includes the medial rectus, lateral rectus, superior rectus, inferior
rectus, inferior oblique, and superior oblique. The basic function of these muscles is to provide different
tensions and torques that further control the movement of the eye.
As we mentioned earlier, the eye of a human being is like a camera. Much like the electronic device, the
human eye also focuses and lets in light to produce images. So basically, light rays that are deflected from
or by distant objects land on the retina after they pass through various mediums like the cornea, crystalline
lens, aqueous humor, the lens, and vitreous humor.

The concept here though is that as the light rays move through the various mediums, they
experience refraction of light. Well, to put it in simple terms, refraction is nothing but the change in direction
of the rays of light as they pass between different mediums. The table below shows the refractive indices of
the various parts of the eye.
Having different refractive indexes is what bends the rays to form an image. The light rays finally are
received and focused on the retina. The retina contains photoreceptor cells called rods and cones and
these basically detect the intensity and the frequency of the light. Further, the image that is formed is
processed by millions of these cells, and they also relay the signal or nerve impulses to the brain via the
optic nerve. The image formed is usually inverted but the brain corrects this phenomenon. This process is
also similar to that of a convex lens.
(Important note: Damage to or malfunction of any part of the visual system can lead to significant loss of
visual functioning. For example, if any of the structures involved in the transmission of light, like the cornea,
pupil, eye lens, aqueous humour and vitreous humour or those responsible for conversion of light to
electrical impulse, like the retina or even the optic nerve that transmits these impulses to the brain, is
damaged, it will result in visual impairment. You might have experienced that you are not able to see
objects clearly for some time when you enter from bright light to a room with dim light. After sometime,

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however, you may be able to see things in the dim-lit room. The pupil of an eye acts like a variable aperture
whose size can be varied with the help of the iris. When the light is very bright, the iris contracts the pupil to
allow less light to enter the eye. However, in dim light the iris expands the pupil to allow more light to enter
the eye. Thus, the pupil opens completely through the relaxation of the iris.)

Range of Vision of Human Eye

The human eye is a very incredible instrument that allows us to see at infinite distances till the light from
that object can reach our eyes. Thus, the far range of the human eye is infinity. We see the stars in the
night sky that are very far away from us and the light from them reaches our eyes and thus we see them.
For the near point of the eye, it is the point till which the human eye can see distinctly and the near point
of the human eye is, 25 cm, i.e. any object till 25 cm can be distinctly viewed by the human eye.
Sometimes, the crystalline lens of people at old age becomes milky and cloudy. This condition is called
cataract. This causes partial or complete loss of vision. It is possible to restore vision through a cataract
surgery.

What is Power of Accommodation of the Eye?

The process by which certain muscles (called ciliary muscles) function to change the focal length of the
eyes so that the image is clearly formed on the retina is called accommodation of the eye. This will vary for
near and distant objects and also for objects moving away or towards the eye. By adjusting the focal length,
the eye is actually changing its lens power as well, isn’t it? This is called the accommodating power of the
eye.
How does this accommodating power work considering the varying distances?
If the object in consideration is at a distance, for the image to
form at the retina, the focal length has to be large. Here, the
ciliary muscles relax, thereby thinning the eye lens. The focal
length increases and the image is formed perfectly on the
retina. Similarly, in the case of near-lying objects, the ciliary
muscles contract and thereby thickening the lens. This causes
a reduction in the focal length for ideal image formation.

Lens of Eye
A lens placed behind the cornea of the human eye is called the eye lens. It is an optical lens made of
proteins and other organic materials. It is situated exactly behind the Iris that allow light to pass through
the lens and the eye lens then converges the light to the Retina of the eye.
It is ellipsoidal in shape and is roughly 10 mm long and 4 mm wide. It is made up of translucent protein
molecule and thus allow light to pass through it.

Why do we have two eyes for vision and not just one?
There are several advantages of our having two eyes instead of one. It gives a wider field of view. A human
being has a horizontal field of view of about 150° with one eye and of about 180° with two eyes. The ability
to detect faint objects is, of course, enhanced with two detectors instead of one. our eyes are separated by
a few centimeters, each eye sees a slightly different image. Our brain combines the two images into one,
using the extra information to tell us how close or far away things are.

DEFECTS OF VISION AND THEIR CORRECTION

Defects in the eye happen due to many reasons. Due to growing age, the vision also decreases, and when
the focal length alters, the vision also alters. When the eye loses its ability to adjust its focal length,
problems appear like a person cannot see the image correctly (blurring of vision), unable to view nearby
objects or far away objects. When the defect in the refractive index occurs, the person cannot see the
objects comfortably and distinctly. If not taken timely care of, the eyes might completely lose the power of
accommodation.

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Refractive Defects of Vision
Some of the common defects of vision are:
(i) Myopia or near-sightedness
(ii) Hypermetropia or far-sightedness
(iii) Presbyopia
Myopia or Near-Sightedness
Myopia is commonly known as near-sightedness. In this condition, the person can see the objects nearby
but cannot see distant objects clearly. Faraway objects appear blurry, and a person will not be comfortable
seeing them. Myopia condition takes place when the shape of the eyes leads the light rays to bend in a
wrong way, focusing images in front of the retina rather than focusing on the retina.
Myopia is explained in the figure below.

Symptoms:
 Blurry vision.
 Difficulty in seeing while driving, particularly during night times.
 Headaches due to eyestrain.
Correction: When a concave lens of suitable power is used, it assists in focusing the image onto the
retina.
Hypermetropia or Far-Sightedness
Hypermetropia is commonly known as far-sightedness. In this condition, the person can see objects at a
distance but cannot see nearby objects clearly. Usually, the person with this disorder squints to see nearby
objects. Hypermetropia is caused when the light rays from a closeby object are focussed at a point behind
the retina. The condition of hypermetropia is clearly explained in the figure below.

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Symptoms:
 Blurry vision.
 Headaches due to eyestrain.
 Squinting.
Correction: Using spectacles with a converging lens imparts additional focusing power and thus helps
form the image on the retina.
Presbyopia
We know that along with age, the power of the accommodation factor to adjust the focal length also
decreases. People have difficulties viewing nearby objects clearly without the assistance of corrective
eyeglasses. This condition is referred to as presbyopia. Presbyopia happens when the ciliary muscles
weaken and diminish the elasticity of the eye lens. Presbyopia can be seen in people above the age of 40
years.
Symptoms:
Blurred vision due to ageing.
Headaches due to eyestrain.
Correction: This condition can be corrected by using proper eyeglasses or contact lenses. Minor surgery
also helps in restoring the vision with better clarity. Advancement in technology has made it easy to correct
the refractive defects with contact lenses or through surgical interventions.
Person With Myopia and Hypermetropia Disorders
We can see some people who suffer from myopia and hypermetropia disorders. In such conditions, it is
advised to use bifocal lenses. Usually, bi-focal lenses consist of concave as well as convex lenses. The bi-
focal lens has a concave lens in the upper portion and a convex lens in the lower portion to facilitate distant
vision and near vision.

1. What is meant by power of accommodation of the eye?

Answer- The ability of the lens of the eye to adjust its focal length to clearly focus rays coming from distant
as well from a near objects on the retina, is known as the power of accommodation of the eye.

2. A person with a myopic eye cannot see objects beyond 1.2 m distinctly. What should be the type
of corrective lens used to restore proper vision?
Answer- An individual with a myopic eye should use a concave lens of focal length 1.2 m so that he or she
can restore proper vision.

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3. What is the far point and near point of the human eye with normal vision?
Answer- The minimum distance of the object from the eye, which can be seen distinctly without strain is
called the near point of the eye. For a normal person’s eye, this distance is 25 cm.
The far point of the eye is the maximum distance to which the eye can see objects clearly. The far point of
a normal person’s eye is infinity.

4. A student has difficulty reading the blackboard while sitting in the last row. What could be the
defect the child is suffering from? How can it be corrected?
Answer- The student is suffering from short-sightedness or myopia. Myopia can be corrected by the use of
concave or diverging lens of an appropriate power.

A prism is a three-dimensional soild object having two identical and parallel

shapes facing each other. The identical shapes are called the bases. The
bases can have any shape of a polygon such as triangles, square, rectangle,
or a pentagon. The diagram below shows a triangular prism.
A prism is a member of the polyhedron family consisting of two identical and
parallel polygonal bases. The bases are connected by flat faces forming a
uniform cross-section.
In general, a prism refers to a transparent solid used to refract or scatter a
beam of white light. It is a commonly used instrument in physics.

What is Dispersion?
Dispersion is defined as the separation of white light into different colours when the light is passed through
the prism. The scattering of light depends on the wavelength of the light. Therefore, it can be said that the
degrees of deviation is dependent on the wavelengths. The deviation in the path of the light is inversely
proportional to the wavelength.
White light is primarily composed of light of different wavelengths (colours) viz. violet, indigo, blue, green,
yellow, and red with red having the highest wavelength while violet having the lowest wavelength.
Red light suffers the least amount of deviation and violet the most. Since all the wavelengths suffer different
angles of deviation, when white light passes from one optical medium to another, different colours of the
light split, and this phenomenon of splitting of light into its components as result refraction is called
dispersion.

REFRACTION OF LIGHT THROUGH A PRISM

Due to the shape of a prism, dispersion of light can take place when it passes through it. To understand
this, let’s understand how refraction occurs when light passes through a glass prism.
 If you take a glass prism, you can see that it has 2 triangular bases and three rectangular lateral
surfaces inclined at an angle. This angle is called the angle of the prism.
 Let’s look at a top view of a triangular prism with a ray of light entering it.

In the figure above, A is the angle of the prism.

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  As per Snell’s law, light travelling from a rarer medium to a denser medium bends towards the
normal, and vice versa. Glass is denser than air, and thus, when a ray of light falls on the surface of
the prism, it bends towards the normal. According to the diagram, ray PE falls on the surface of the
prism and bends towards the normal NE.
 Then, while moving from the glass to the air, the emergent ray FS bends away from the normal.
 ∠HDS is the angle of deviation which tells us how much the emergent ray has deviated from the
incident ray. When the angle of incidence is equal to the emergence angle, the deviation angle is
minimum.
 According to the figure, ∠PEN = ∠MES and ∠HDS is thus the angle of minimum deviation. The
refracted ray EF is parallel to side BC in this case.
This is how a ray of white light scatters into 7 colours when it passes through a prism. The different colours
of light waves experience a different degree of deviation; thus, white light splits into its components when
subjected to refraction.

Dispersion of White Light by a Glass Prism

When white light is made to pass through a prism, a spectrum of seven colours is formed which shows that
white light is a mixture of seven different colours. Prism only acts as a medium for the separation of the
seven colours. When light falls on the glass prism, refraction takes place. Since the wavelength of different
components of light is different and the frequency is constant, each component gets deviated by a different
angle due to the difference in velocity in the glass medium. The red colour having the maximum wavelength
deviates the least and forms the upper part of the spectrum whereas violet having the least wavelength
deviates the most.
The acronym VIBGYOR will help you to remember the sequence of colours. The band of the coloured
components of a light beam is called its spectrum. You might not be able to see all the colours separately.
Yet something makes each colour distinct from the other. The splitting of light into its component colours is
called dispersion.

What is the recombination of the spectrum of white light?

Solution:

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1. When white light is passed through a prism, it disperses, and when another prism is kept inverted, the
dispersed light returns to white light. This is referred to as light spectrum recombination.
2. This is caused by the different velocities of different colors passing through the prism.
3. In other words, the refractive index of the glass varies depending on the wavelength or frequency.
4. When the dispersed light further passed through the inverted prism, the recombination of dispersed light
takes place.

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