DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, DURGAPUR

SESSION: 2020-21
ASSIGNMENT - 5
SUB: PHYSICS CLASS: X WEEK: 5TH

TOPIC: REFRACTION OF LIGHT

SUB-TOPIC: (i) Refraction
(ii) Laws of refraction, refractive index

The change of direction of light because of change of medium is

known as Refraction or Refraction of Light. The ray of light
changes its direction or phenomenon of refraction takes place
because of difference in speed in different media. The light
travels at faster speed in rare medium and at slower speed in
denser medium. The nature of media is taken as relative. For
example air is a rarer medium than water or glass.
Remember only speed and wave length of light changes but
frequency remain unchanged during phenomenon of refraction
of light
Following are the rules for getting the direction of bending of a
ray of light-
Rule - 1: When a light ray travels from a rarer medium to a
denser medium, the light ray bends towards the normal as speed
of light decreases with respect to rare medium.
Rule - 2: When a light ray travels from a denser medium to a
rarer medium, the light ray bends away from the normal as
speed of light increases with respect to denser medium
Rule- 3: When a ray of light falls normally on the surface of a
medium, then, no bending of light ray occurs. It means the light
ray goes straight from one medium to another.
The laws of refraction:
(i) The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal to the
interface of two transparent media at the point of incidence, all
lie in the same plane.
(ii) The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle
of refraction is a constant, for the light of a given colour and for
the given pair of media. This law is also known as Snell’s law of refraction.
𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑖
That is, 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑟= constant= μ21
The constant is called refractive index of the second medium in relation to the first medium.
Refractive Index is the extent of change of direction of light in a given pair of media. The refractive index is a
relative value of speed of light in the given pair of media. Thus, to calculate the refractive Index the speed of
light in two media is taken.
Let the speed of light in medium 1 is v1 and in medium 2 is v2
Therefore; refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium 1
Speed of light in medium 1
μ21=Speed of light in medium 2
Or, μ21 = v1/v2
Very short Answer type questions:
Q1 ‘The refractive index of diamond is 2.42’. What is the meaning of this statement?
Ans. The above mentioned statement means that light ray travels 2.42 times faster in air (vacuum) in
comparison to diamond.
Q2 When does Snell's law fail?
Ans. Snell's law fails when light is incident normally on surface of a refracting medium.
Q3 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?
Ans. The light bends towards the normal on entry into water because water is optically denser than air.
Q4 You are given kerosene, turpentine and water. In which of these does the light travel fastest? Use the
information given. (Refractive index of kerosene = 1.44 ; Refractive index of turpentine = 1.47;
Refractive index of water = 1.33)
Ans. Lower the refractive index faster is the speed of light in that medium. Hence light will travel fastest in
water.
Q5 A ray of light is incident to the interface of two media A and B. Write two conditions for no refraction.
No refraction takes place when:
Ans. i) When the ray of light is incident normally at the surface of separation of the two media.
ii) When the refractive index of both the mediums is same.
Short Answer type questions:
Q6 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.
Ans. The speed of light in air(vacuum) is = 3 × 108 m/s
Refractive index of glass μg = 1.50
Now, μg= c/v
So, v= c/ μg = (3 × 108 )/1.5
v= 2 × 108 m/s
Q7 How does the refractive index vary with wavelength?
Ans. According to the definition of refractive index, speed of light is the product of frequency and
wavelength. Frequency of the light wave remains unchanged irrespective of the medium. Whereas the
wavelength of the light wave changes based on refraction. Hence, the refractive index varies with
wavelength.
The speed of light in an unknown medium is 1.76 × 108 m/s. Calculate the refractive index of the
Q8
medium.
Ans. The refractive index of a medium is calculated by the formula:
μ = c/v ,where c is the speed of light in vacuum and v is the speed of light in the medium
Substituting the values in the above equation, we get
μ = (3 × 108)/(1.76 × 108) = 1.7045
Home Assignment:
1. A glass slab made of a material of refractive index μ1 is kept in a medium of refractive index μ2.
A light ray is incident on the slab. Complete the path of rays of light emerging from the glass slab,
if (a) μ1 > μ2 (b) μ1 = μ2 (c) μ1 < μ2
2. State Snell’s law of refraction. Express refractive index of a medium as a mathematical formula.
3. How much time will light take to cross 2 mm thick glass pane if refractive index of glass is 3/2?
4. Refractive index of media A, B, C and D are
A B C D
1.54 1.33 1.46 1.62
In which of the four media is the speed of light (i) Minimum and (ii) Maximum?
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