Light

● Light is a form of energy that enables us to see things around us.

● Sources of light can be natural (sun, stars, fireflies) or artificial( bulb, torch).
● Light always travel in a straight line. It is called rectilinear propagation of light.

Based on their interaction with light, objects can be classified as:

● Transparent objects allow light to pass through them completely.E.g: glass

● Translucent objects allow light to pass through them partially. E.g: Butter paper
● Opaque objects do not allow any light to pass through them. E.g: table, book, etc.

Reflection
When light is incident on a certain surface, it either gets reflected or bounces back. Such surfaces
are really well polished and act like a mirror. The phenomenon of light bouncing off surfaces is
called reflection.

Terms used in reflection:

● The ray of light that strikes a reflecting surface is called as the incident ray and the ray
that gets reflected back is called the reflected ray
● Point of incidence: The point at which the light ray strikes the reflecting surface is the
point of incidence.
● The imaginary line that is perpendicular to the reflecting surface at the point of incidence
is called the normal
● Angle of incidence: The angle formed between incident ray and normal
● Angle of reflection: The angle formed between reflected ray and normal
Laws of reflection
● The angle of incidence ∠i is always equal to the Angle of reflection ∠r (∠i=∠r).
● The angle of incidence, angle of reflection and the normal all lie on the same plane

Images
● Rays of light from an object after reflection by a mirror tend to converge or appear to
diverge from a certain point in front of the mirror. At this point, the reproduction of the
object is called as an image.
● These images are classified as real or virtual images.
● A real image is formed by the actual convergence of light rays after reflection.
Real images can be viewed on a screen.
● A virtual image is the apparent convergence of diverging light rays after
reflection. Virtual images cannot be viewed on a screen

Characteristics of image formed by a plane mirror

● Image formed by a plane mirror is upright or erect
● It is always virtual
● It is of the same size as the size of the object
● The image formed in the mirror is at the same distance behind the mirror as the object is
in front of it.
Q. An object is placed at a distance of 1 m in front of a plane mirror. Find the distance between
the object and the image formed by the mirror.
Ans: Position of the Object: The object is placed 1 meter in front of the plane mirror.
Reflection in a Plane Mirror: In a plane mirror, the image is formed behind the mirror at the
same distance as the object is in front of the mirror.
Distance of Image from Mirror: Since the object is 1 meter in front of the mirror, the image is
formed 1 meter behind the mirror.
Total Distance between Object and Image: The total distance between the object and its image is
the sum of the distances in front of and behind the mirror. In this case, it is 1 meter (front) + 1
meter (behind) = 2 meters.

So, the distance between the object and the image formed by the mirror is 2 meters.

Lateral inversion
● An image formed by a plane mirror undergoes lateral inversion, i.e the right side of the
object appears as the left side in the image.
● That is why the word “AMBULANCE” is written backwards on ambulance vans so that
it appears in the correct order when viewed on a mirror.
 ●

Spherical mirrors
● A spherical mirror (or curved mirror) is a mirror which has the shape of a piece cut out of
a spherical surface. They are of 2 types: Concave and Convex.
● Concave mirror: If the outer surface of the curved mirror is painted and its inner surface
is a reflecting surface, then this type of spherical mirror is a concave mirror.
● Convex mirror:If the inner surface of the curved mirror is painted and its outer surface is
a reflecting surface, then this type of spherical mirror is a convex mirror.
Image formation by spherical mirrors
● Concave mirrors form a real, inverted and magnified image. When the object is moved
really close to the mirror, the image formed is erect and virtual. Concave mirrors are used
by doctors and dentists for enlarged images of our ears, eyes, teeth etc.
● Convex mirrors form erect and virtual images that are diminished, meaning smaller than
the object size. That is why convex mirrors are used in vehicles as it gives the driver
images spread over a large area.

Q. What type of mirror is used as a side mirror in a scooter? Why is this type of mirror
chosen?

Solution: Convex mirror is used as a side mirror in a scooter. This type of mirror is chosen as it
forms a smaller and virtual image. So, it can be used to see a much larger area than the area
visible by a plane mirror.

[Link] side mirror of a scooter got broken. The mechanic replaced it with a plane mirror.
Mention any inconvenience that the driver of the scooter will face while using it?
Solution:
Convex mirror is used as rear view mirror in vehicles. If it is replaced with a plane mirror then
driver of the scooter will not be able to see traffic spread over a large area behind him.

[Link] concave reflecting surface of a torch got rusted. What effect would this have on the
beam of light from the torch?
Solution:
The beam of light from the torch will be diffused with lower intensity due to rusted reflecting
surface.
Q. A shopkeeper wanted to fix a mirror which will give a maximum view of his shop. What
type of mirror should he use? Give reason.

Solution:

He should use a convex mirror as it can form images of objects spread over a large area.

[Link] are given three mirrors of different types. How will you identify each one of them?
Solution:
We are given three different types of mirrors. To identify each one of them we will take an object
and place it at different positions. Accordingly, we will get the positions of the image and nature
of the image for each mirror, through which mirrors can be identified.

Properties of Plane mirror Concave mirror Convex mirror

image formed

Real or virtual Virtual Real except when the object Virtual

is near the mirror

Erect or inverted Always erect Inverted when real and erect Always erect
when virtual

Size of image Image formed is Diminished for certain Always diminished

of the same size positions and enlarged for
as the object others
Lenses

● A lens can be defined as a transparent medium having one flat and one curved surface or
both curved surfaces.
● Lenses that are made up of two curved surfaces are of two types - Convex lenses and
concave lenses
● Convex lens / Converging lens: A convex lens is thick in the middle and thin at the edges.
A convex lens usually magnifies images
● Concave lens/ Diverging lens: a concave lens is thin in the middle and thicker at the
edges. Objects look smaller through concave lenses.
Image formation by lenses
● Convex lens forms a real, inverted and diminished image. When the object is placed very
close the lens the image formed is erect, virtual and magnified. They are also called as
converging lens. This type of lens is also used as a magnifying glass.
● Concave lens always forms a virtual, erect and diminished image. They are also called as
diverging lens. They are used as camera lenses and binoculars.

Q. What are the letter in uppercase that remain the same after lateral inversion?

Ans: A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, and Y
Q. Observe the given figures carefully.

The given figures show the path of light through lenses of two different types, represented by
rectangular boxes A and B. Name the lenses A and B. Also mention the nature of lenses A
and B.
Solution:
Lens A is a convex lens. It is a converging lens.
Lens B is a concave lens. It is a diverging lens.
Q. Two different type of lenses are placed on a sheet of newspaper. How will you identify
them without touching?
Solution:
If it is a convex lens, then the letters of newspaper will appear bigger/magnified and if it is a
concave lens, then the letters will appear smaller.
Q. The distance between an object and a convex lens is changing. It is noticed that the size
of the image formed on a screen is decreasing. Is the object moving in a direction towards
the lens or away from it?
Solution:
In the case of convex lens, as the object moves away from it, the size of the image formed on a
screen decreases.

Dispersion of white light through prism

● Sunlight may appear as white but in fact, is made up of seven component colours. This
can be observed when a beam of sunlight is passed through a triangular prism or when
light falls on a compact disk (CD).
● The seven colours that appear are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
These are also the colours of a rainbow we see after a rainfall.
● The splitting of white light into its component colours is called dispersion

Newtons Disc:

● We can also prove that white light consists of 7 colours by using Newton’s disc.
● A newton’s disc is made y painting a disc with the 7 colours (Violet, Indigo, blue,
green, yellow, orange, red)
● The disc is rotated very fast, and we see that the cours of the disc seem to
disappear and the disc appears white,
● This happens ecause the effect of the image of the colour doesnot disappear
immediately from the eye, but persists for a fraction of a second.
● When the disc rotates, the colours forms images one after the other and we see a
combined effect of all the colours, which is the white colour.