DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL:: SURAT

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
LIGHT- REFLECTION AND REFRACTION
CLASS X

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS
PG: 168

1. Define the principal focus of a concave mirror.

Principal focus of a concave mirror is a point on its principal axis where light ray
travelling parallel to principal axis actually meets after reflection from the mirror.

2. The radius of curvature of a spherical mirror is 20 cm. What is its focal length?
Given : R = 20 cm
f =?
R 20
f= =
2 2
f = 10 cm

3. Name a mirror that can give an erect and enlarged image of an object.
Concave mirror when object is kept between focus and pole of the mirror.

4. Why do we prefer a convex mirror as rear view mirror in vehicles?

Convex mirror is preferred because these mirrors are fitted on the sides of the vehicles
and enable the vehicles’ drivers to see traffic behind him facilitating safe driving.
Use of convex mirrors is preferred due to following reasons:
1. Convex mirror gives an erect and diminished image of vehicles coming from behind.
2. It has a wider view because they are curved outwards. As a result, the vehicles’ drivers
can view much larger area as compared to that possible with a plane mirror.

PG: 171
1. Find the focal length of a convex mirror whose radius of curvature is 32 cm.
Given: R= 32 cm
f =?
R 32
f= =
2 2
f = 16 cm

2. A concave mirror produces three times magnified (enlarged) real image of an object
placed at 10 cm in front of it. Where is the image located?
Given: u = -10 cm
m = -3 (real image)
v
m=− u
v = - mu = - (-3) × (-10) = -30 cm → image is at a distance of 30 cm.
PG: 176

1. A ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely into water. Does the light ray bend
towards the normal or away from the normal? Why?
When a ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely into water, the ray bends towards the
normal because water is optically denser than air. The light ray bends towards the normal
on refraction from rarer medium to a denser medium.

2. Light enters from air to glass having refractive index 1.50. What is the speed of light
in the glass? The speed of light in vacuum is 3 × 108 m s–1.
Refractive index of glass with respect to air, n = 1.50
Speed of light in vacuum, c = 3 × 108 m s–1
Speed of light in glass, v =?

speed of light in vacuum, c

refractive index of glass with respect to air, n =
speed of light in glass, v

speed of light in vacuum, c

∴ speed of light in glass, v =
refractive index of glass with respect to air, n

3 × 108 30 × 108
v= = = 2 × 108 m s −1
1.5 15

3. Find out, from Table 10.3, the medium having highest optical density. Also find the
medium with lowest optical density.
Diamond has the highest optical density of 2.42 and air has the lowest optical density of
1.0003.

4. You are given kerosene, turpentine and water. In which of these does the light
travel fastest? Use the information given in Table 10.3.
From the table 10.3, the refractive index of water is the least out of the given substances.
Consequently, light travels fastest in water because speed of light is more in an optically
rarer medium.

5. The refractive index of diamond is 2.42. What is the meaning of this statement?
When refractive index of diamond is 2.42 it means that the speed of light in diamond is
1
time the speed of light in vacuum (or air).
2.42

c 3×108 300×108
⇒speed of light in diamond, v = = = = 1.24 × 108 m s−1
n 2.42 242
PG:184

1. Define 1 dioptre of power of a lens.

Power of lens is said to be 1 dioptre (1 D) if its focal length is 1 m.
1 D = 1 m-1

2. A convex lens forms a real and inverted image of a needle at a distance of 50 cm

from it. Where is the needle placed in front of the convex lens if the image is equal
to the size of the object? Also, find the power of the lens.
Given: v = 50 cm
m = -1 ( real image and same size of the object)
v
m=
u

v 50
u= = = −50 cm
m −1

1 1 1
− =
v u f

1 1 1 1+1 2 1
= − = = =
f 50 −50 50 50 25

f = 25 cm
100 100
power of the lens, P = = =4D
f(in cm) 25

3. Find the power of a concave lens of focal length 2 m.

Given: f = - 2 m
1 1
P = f(in m) = −2 = −0.5 D

*****************************************************************************

EXERCISE
PG: 185

1. Which one of the following materials cannot be used to make a lens?

(a) Water (b) Glass (c) Plastic (d) Clay

Hint: Clay is not transparent and light cannot pass through it.

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.
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.

Hint: If an object be placed at 2F1 of a convex lens, its real and inverted image of same
size is formed at 2F2.

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.

Hint: As per New Cartesian Sign Convention, focal length of the concave mirror as well
as concave lens is taken to be negative.

5. No matter how far you stand from a mirror, your image appears erect. The mirror
is likely to be
(a) plane.
(b) concave.
(c) convex.
(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.

Hint: Only a convex lens forms enlarged image. As power of lens of focal length 5 cm is
more, its magnifying power is also more.

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 object?
Draw a ray diagram to show the image formation in this case.
When an object is held between the pole and
principal focus of a concave mirror, virtual and
erect image is formed. Therefore, in the present
case, the object may be placed in front of mirror
at a distance less than 15 cm.
The image will be virtual, erect and larger than
the object.
8. Name the type of mirror used in the following situations.
(a) Headlights of a car.
(b) Side/rear-view mirror of a vehicle.
(c) Solar furnace.
Support your answer with reason.
(a) A concave mirror is used in the headlight of a car. The light source is held at the focus
of the mirror. On reflection, a strong parallel beam of light emerges.
(b) A convex mirror is used as side rear view mirror because its field of view is larger
and it forms virtual, erect and diminished images of objects behind.
(c) For solar furnace concave mirror is used. Light from the sun on reflection from the
mirror is concentrated at the focus of the mirror producing heat.

9. 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.
Yes, it will produce a complete image of the object as shown in the figure. This can be
verified experimentally by observing the image of a distant object like tree on a screen,
when lower half of the lens is covered with a black paper. However, the intensity or
brightness of image will reduce because less number of light rays will pass through the
lens.

10. An object 5 cm in length is held 25 cm away from a converging lens of focal

length10 cm. Draw the ray diagram and find the position, size and the nature of the
image formed.
Given: Size of object (ho) = 5 cm
Distance of object (u) = –25 cm
Focal length (f) = 10 cm
Distance of image (v) =?
1 1 1
Lens formula, − =
v u f

1 1 1 1 1
= + = +
v f u 10 −25

1 5−2 3
= =
v 50 50

50
v= = 16.7 cm
3
 hi v
Magnification, m = =
ho u

v
Size of the image, hi = × ho
u
16.7 10
hi= −25 × 5 = − = −3.3 𝑐𝑚
3

Image is real, inverted and diminished.

11. A concave lens of focal length 15 cm forms an image 10 cm from the lens. How far is
the object placed from the lens? Draw the ray diagram.
Given: f = -15 cm
v = -10 cm
u =?
1 1 1
− =
v u f

1 1 1
= −
u v f

1 1 1 1 1
= − = +
u −10 −15 −10 15

1 −3+2 1
= =−
u 30 30

u = -30 cm

12. An object is placed at a distance of 10 cm from a convex mirror of focal length

15 cm. Find the position and nature of the image.
Given: u = -10 cm
f = 15 cm
v =?
1 1 1
+ =
v u f

1 1 1 1 1
= − = −
v f u 15 −10

1 1 1 2+3 5 30
= + = = ⇒ v= = 6 cm
v 15 10 30 30 5
𝑣 6 6
𝑚=− =− = = 0.6 ⇒Image is virtual and erect and diminished.
𝑢 −10 10
13. The magnification produced by a plane mirror is +1. What does this mean?
h
m = h i = +1 ⇒ hi = ho i.e., size of image is equal to size of object.
o
+ sign of m indicates that the image is virtual and erect.

14. An object 5.0 cm in length is placed at a distance of 20 cm in front of a convex

mirror of radius of curvature 30 cm. Find the position of the image, its nature and
size.
Given: ho = 5 cm
u = -20 cm
R = 30 cm
v =?
hi =?
R 30
f= = = 15 cm
2 2

1 1 1
+ =
v u f

1 1 1 1 1
= − = −
v u f 15 −20

1 4+3 7
= =
v 60 60

60
v= = 8.57 cm
7
hi v
m= =−
ho u
hi 8.57
m= =−
5 −20
5×8.57
hi = = 2.1 cm
20
Image is virtual, erect and smaller than the object.

15. 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.
Given: ho = 7 cm
u = -27 cm
f = -18 cm
v =?
hi =?
1 1 1
+ =
v u f
1 1 1 1 1
= − = −
v f u −18 −27

1 1 1 −3+2 1
= + = =−
v −18 27 54 54

v = -54 cm
 Screen should be in front of the mirror at a distance of 54 cm from the mirror therefore
the image obtained on the screen will be real.
hi v
m= =−
ho u
ℎ𝑖 (−54)
=−
7 (−27)
−54×7
hi = = −14 𝑐𝑚
27
Image is real and inverted.

16. Find the focal length of a lens of power – 2.0 D. What type of lens is this?
Given: P = -2 D
f =?
1 1
P= ⇒ f=
f(in m) P

1
f= = −0.5 m = −50 cm
−2
Lens is concave because focal length is negative.

17. A doctor has prescribed a corrective lens of power +1.5 D. Find the focal length of
the lens. Is the prescribed lens diverging or converging?
Given: P = +1.5 D
f =?
1 1
P= ⇒ f=
f(in m) P

1 10 2
f= = 15 = 3 = 0.667 m =66.7 cm
1.5

Prescribed lens is converging or convex as its power is positive.

******************************************************************************