Application Level Questions (HOTS)

1. Draw a ray diagram showing the path of rays of light when it

enters with oblique incidence (i) from air into water; (ii) from
water into air.
Ans.:

2. One-half of a convex lens is covered with a black paper. Will this

lens produce a complete image of the object? Verify your answer
experimentally. Explain your observations.
Ans.: The convex lens will form complete image of an object, even if its one
half is covered with black paper. It can be understood by the
following two cases.
Case I
When the upper half of the lens is covered
In this case, a ray of light coming from the object will be refracted by
the lower half of the lens. These rays meet at the other side of the
lens to form the image of the given object, as shown in the following
figure.

Case II
When the lower half of the lens is covered
In this case, a ray of light coming from the object is refracted by the
upper half of the lens. These rays meet at the other side of the lens to
form the image of the given object as shown in the following figure.
3. An object of size 7.0 cm is placed at 27 cm in front of a concave
mirror of focal length 18 cm. At what distance from the mirror
should a screen be placed, so that a sharp focused image can be
obtained? Find the size and the nature of the image.
Ans.: Object distance, u = −27 cm
Object height, h = 7 cm
Focal length, f = −18 cm
According to the mirror formula,
1 1 1
+ =
u v f
1 1 1 −1 1 −1
= − = + =
v f u 18 27 54
v = − 54 cm
The screen should be placed at a distance of 54 cm in front of the
given mirror.
Im age dis tan ce −54'
Magnification, m = − = =
−2
Object Dis tan ce 27
The negative value of magnification indicates that the image formed
is real.
Magnification,
Height of the image h'
m= − =
Height of the object h
h = 7 × (-2) = -14 cm
’

The negative value of image height indicates that the image formed is
inverted.

4. Find the focal length of a lens of power −2.0 D. What type of lens
is this?
1
Ans.: Power of lens P =
f (in metres)
P = -2D
−1
f= = − 0.5 m
2
A concave lens has a negative focal length. Hence, it is a concave
lens.

5. A concave mirror produces three times magnified (enlarged) real

image of object placed at 10 cm in front of it. Where is the
image located?
Ans.: Magnification produced by a spherical mirror is given by the relation
Height of the image Im age dis tan ce'
m= − = −
Height of the object object dis tan ce
h1 v
m= =−
ho u
Let the height of the object, ho = h
Then, height of the image, h1 = −3h (Image formed is real)
 −3h − v
=
h u
v
=3
u
Object distance,
u = −10 cm v = 3 × (−10) = −30 cm
Here, the negative sign indicates that an inverted image is formed at
a distance of 30 cm in front of the given concave mirror.

6. An object is placed at a distance of 5 m from a convex mirror of

radius of curvature 20 cm where is the image formed and what is
its nature?
Ans.: For a convex mirror f and R are positive and u is negative. Distance
of the object from the mirror (u) =-5 m = -500 cm. Distance of the
image from the mirror (v) = ? Radius of curvature = 20 cm
𝑹
Focal length = 𝟐
𝟐𝟎
𝟐
= +𝟏𝟎𝒄𝒎
Mirror formula is
1 1 1
= +
f u v
1 1 1
= +
10 −500 v
1 1 1
= +
v 10 500
1 50 + 1
=
v 500
51
=
500

500
v= = 9.8 cm
51
The image is formed 9.8 cm behind the mirror. The image formed is
virtual and erected.

7. What is the position of an image when an object is placed at a distance

of 20 cm from a concave mirror of focal length 20 cm?
Ans: For a concave mirror both u and f are negative. Distance between the
object and the mirror (u)
= -20 cm Focal length of the mirror (f)
= -20 cm Mirror formula is
1 1 1
= +
f u v
−1 −1 1
= +
20 20 v
 1 1 1
= − +
v 20 20
1 1
=0 c= = ∞
v 0
Thus, the image will be formed at infinity.
8. An object is placed at distance of 10cm from the pole of a
mirror, and the image of the object is formed at a distance of 30
cm from the mirror on the same side as the object. Is the mirror
concave or convex? What is its focal length?
Ans.: The image in this case is real as it is in front of the mirror. Only concave
mirror gives a real image hence it is a concave mirror. The distance between
the object and the mirror u = -10 cm
The distance between the image and the mirror v = -30cm Focal
length f=
1 1 1
= +
f u v
1 1
= −
−10 30
1 −3 − 1 −4
= =
f 30 30
−30
f = = -7.5cm
4
The focal length is negative as the mirror is concave mirror.

9. The focal length of a concave mirror is 15 cm. If the object is

placed at a distance of 20 cm from the pole of the mirror, where
will the image be formed? Draw the ray diagram to show the
formation of the image. (Board Exam April 2019).
Ans.: Focal length (f) = - 15 cm
The distance between the object and the mirror (u) = - 20 cm
The distance between the image and the mirror (v) = ?
1 1 1
= +
f u v

−1 1 1
= −
15 v 20
−4 + 3 1 1
= = = −
60 V 60
V = -60 cm
The image is formed 60 cm away from the pole of the mirror that is, on the
same side of the mirror where the object is placed.

10. The image formed by a convex mirror of focal length 30 cm is

1/4th size of the object. What is the distance of the object from
the mirror?
Ans.: Focal length = +30 cm
 The distance between the object and the mirror
(u) = ?
The distance between the image and the mirror
(v) = ?
Let the size of the object be equal to 1.
Given size of the image = 1/4 size of the object.
ho = 1
1
h1 =
4
But we know that u = -90 cm

h1 −v
=
ho u
h1 1 − v
= =
ho 4 u
u
v= −
4
The distance of the object from the mirror = 90 cm

11. An object 6 cm long is placed 1 meter in front of a concave

mirror of 10 cm focal length. Find the nature and the size of the
image.
Ans.: u = -1m = -100cm f = -10cm
v=?
1 1 1
= +
f u v
1 1 1
= −
−10 v 100
1 1 1
= +
v −10 100
−10 + 1
=
100
−9
=
100
−100
v=
9
= -11.11cm
The image is real and inverted and 11.11 cm from the mirror.
−100
v=
9
h1 −100
=
6 9 × 100
h1 −1
=
6 9
−6
h1 =
9
 −2
=
3
h1 = -0.666cm
Size of the image = 0.666 cm
Negative sign indicates that the image is real and inverted.

12. How far should one hold an object from a concave mirror of focal
length 40 cm so as to get virtual image twice the size of the
object?
Ans.: Focal length = -40 cm
Let the height of the object be equal to 1
Then, the height of the image = 2
h v
m= 1 = +
ho u
(Since the mirror is a concave mirror the image formed will be erect
and virtual.)
v
m= 2= +
u
v = +2u
1 1 1
= +
f u v
1 1 1
− = +
40 2u u
1+ 2
=
2u
3
=
2u
1 3
− = or 2u = −120
40 2u
−120
u=
2
∴=-60cm
The object should be held at 60 cm from the pole of the mirror

13. (a) It is desired to obtain an erect image of an object, using a

concave mirror of focal length 20 cm.
(i) What should be the range of distance of the object from
the mirror?
(ii) Will the image be bigger or smaller than the object?
(iii) Draw a ray diagram to show the image formation in this
case.

(b) One half a convex lens of focal length 20cm is covered with
a black paper.
(i) Will the lens produce a complete image of the object?
(ii) Show the formation of an object placed at 2F1 of such
covered lens with the help of a ray diagram.
 (iii) How will the intensity of the image formed by half –
covered lens compare with non-covered lens?
Ans.: (a) (i) Range of the object distance id 0 to 20 cm from the pole.
(ii) Image will be bigger than the object
(iii) Ray diagram

(b) (i) Yes, completed image will be formed

(ii) Intensity will be reduced as the light falling on the lower (covered)
portion will not reach the position of image.