CLASS 10 CBSE

PHYSICS

LIGHT - REFLECTION &

REFRACTION
 INTRODUCTION

Optics is a branch of science that deal with

light.
Ray optics is a branch of science that
describes light propagation in terms of rays.
The path is called a ray of light. The
phenomena of reflection, refraction and
dispersion of light, using the ray picture of light.
REFLECTION OF LIGHT
Spherical mirrors has been classified in to
two types. Concave mirror and convex mirror.
CONCAVE MIRROR
Spherical mirrors has been classified in to
two types. Concave mirror and convex mirror.

When a ray of light falls on a smooth polished

surface and the light ray bounces back into
the same medium, it is called the reflection
of light

CENTRE OF THE CURVATURE

LAWS OF REFLECTION OF LIGHT
Centre of the sphere of which the spherical
Incident ray reflected ray and normal lies in mirror is a part, It is denoted by C
the same plane.
Angle of incidence is equal to angle of
reflection. POLE
Pole is the geometrical centre of the mirror. It is
denoted by p.

PRINCIPLE AXIS
Line joining centre of the curve and pole

RADIUS OF CURVATURE
It is the distance between pole and centre of
curvature. It is denoted by R

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FOCUS OF CONCAVE MIRROR APPLICATION OF CONVEX MIRROR
The light rays which are coming parallel to the Rear view mirrors in vehicles
principal axis after reflection converge to a
point on the principal axis. This point is called
the principal focus of a concave mirror.

Security mirrors
CONVEX MIRROR

APPLICATION OF CONCAVE MIRROR

FOCUS OF CONVEX MIRROR

The light rays which are coming parallel to the
principal axis after reflection from the convex
mirror appears to diverge from a point on the
principal axis, on the other side of the mirror. Shaving mirrors
This point is called the principal focus of the
convex mirror.

Dentist mirrors

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IMAGE FORMATION IN III) OBJECT AT C
CONCAVE MIRROR
REAL IMAGE
Image can be obtained on the screen. Image
is formed in front of the mirror.

VIRTUAL IMAGE
Image formed at C Real image Inverted,
Same size
Image cannot be obtained on the screen. The
image is formed behind the mirror.

IV) OBJECT BETWEEN F AND C

I) OBJECT AT INFINITY

Image formed beyond C Real inverted

Large
Very small Real Inverted

II) OBJECT BEYOND C V) OBJECT AT F

Real image Between C and f Small and

inverted
Image at infinity

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OBJECT BETWEEN F AND P RELATION BETWEEN RADIUS OF
CURVATURE AND FOCAL LENGTH
Focal length of a mirror is the half of the radius
of curvature

MIRROR FORMULA
Virtual image Erect Large It is the relation connecting focal length (f),
object distance (u) and image distance (v).

NATURE IMAGE FORMED BY

CONVEX MIRROR
MAGNIFICATION
It is the ratio between height of the image and
height of the object

-Ve = Real and inverted

Virtual and erect +Ve = Virtual and erect

CARTESIAN SIGN CONVECTION

Find the focal length of a concave mirror
whose radius of curvature is 32cm.

Distance between object and mirror (u)

Distance between mirror and image ( V)

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 When an object is placed in front of a Which of the mirrors forms an image larger
concave mirror at a distance 60cm. An than the object ?
image is obtained on a screen at a distance (Plain mirror, concave mirror, convex mirror)
30cm from the mirror. Find the focal length.

Magnification of the image formed in a

mirror is -1
(Plain mirror, concave mirror, convex mirror)

An object is placed in front of a convex mirror.

Its image is
formed :
a) at a distance equal to the object distance
in front of the mirror.
b) at twice the distance of the object in front
of the mirror.
c) half the distance of the object in front of
When an object of height 5cm is placed at a
the mirror.
distance of 12cm in front of a concave mirror,
d) behind the mirror and it’s position varies
a real image is formed at a distance 24cm.
according to the object distance.
a) Calculate the magnification
b) Find the height of the image
c) Based on magnification how can we
predict whether the image formed is erect or
inverted?

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 An object is placed in front of a convex mirror
at infinity. According to the New Cartesian
Sign Convention, the sign of the focal length
and the sign of the image distance in this
case are respectively :
a) + +
b) + -
C) - -
d) - +
a) Complete the following ray diagram to
show the formation of image
(b) Mention the nature, position and size of
the image formed in this case.
(c) State the sign of the image distance in
this case using the Cartesian sign convention
NEST JUNIOR CLASS 10 ENTRANCE EXAM CONTACT US ON : 6009 100 300
A student has focussed the image of an
object of height 3 cm on a white screen using
a concave mirror of focal length 12 cm. If the
distance of the object from the mirror is 18 cm,
find the values of the following
(i)Distance of the image from the mirror
(ii) Height of the image
A concave mirror is used for image formation
for different positions of an object. What
inferences can be drawn about the following
when an object is placed at a distance of
10 cm from the pole of a concave mirror of
focal length 15 cm?
a) Position of the image
b) Size of the image
c) Nature of the image
Draw the labelled diagram to justify
your answer
8
 An object 10 cm in size is placed at 100 cm in To obtain the magnification of +2 with a
front of a concave mirror. If its image is concave mirror of radius of curvature 60 cm
formed at the same point where the object the object distance must be
is located, find: a) -90 cm b) -45 cm
(i) focal length of the mirror, and
c) -30 cm d) -15 cm
(ii) magnification of the image formed with
sign as per Cartesian sign convention.

REFRACTION OF LIGHT
An object is kept at a distance of 30 cm in
front of a concave mirror of focal length
20 cm. Use mirror formula to determine the
position and magnification of the image
produced

The deviation in the path of light when it

falls from one medium to another is called
refraction of light.

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CONDITIONS FOR REFRACTION
Light ray should fall obliquely
The two medium must have difference in
optical density

OPTICAL DENSITY
Optical density is a measure that shows how
a medium influences the speed of light
passing through it.

Medium Speed of light (𝐦 𝐬

Vacuum 3 × 108 m/s

Water 2.25 × 108 m/s

Glass 2 × 108 m/s (approximately)

Diamond 1.25 × 108 m/s

Based on the table which medium has more

optical density?

REFRACTION IN DIFFERENT MEDIA

(When light ray incident normally)

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REFRACTION THROUGH GLASS SLAB
Light falls obliquely from one medium to
another as shown in the figure

Which of the given medium is the fastest

medium for light ? Explain.

Observe the figure and answer the questions

REFRACTIVE INDEX
It is the ratios of speed of light in vacuum (C) to
speed of light in medium (V)
a) When the light ray enters in to air from
water light ray ……
[moves towards the normal, moves away
from the normal ]
b) Name the phenomenon which causes the
deviation.
LAWS OF REFRACTION
The angle of incidence, the angle of refraction
and the normal always be in the same plane.
The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence
to the sine of the angle of refraction
will always be a constant. This is known as
Snells Law.

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 The refractive index of the medium with LENS
respect to another medium is called relative
refractive index
A lens is a transparent medium having
spherical surfaces.

Calculate the refractive index when light

enters in to glass from air. If the velocity of
light in glass is 2x108 m/s.

APPARENT DEPTH AND REAL DEPT

OPTIC CENTRE
Optic centre is the midpoint of a lens

CENTRE OF CURVATURE
A lens has two spherical surfaces as parts of
the lens. Centre of curvature (C) is the centre
of the imaginary spheres of which the sides of
the lens are parts.

What is the reason for the above PRINCIPAL FOCUS

phenomenon?
Light rays incident parallel and close to the
principal axis after refraction converges to a
point on the principal axis of a convex lens.
This point is the principal focus of a convex lens

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 OBJECT AT INFINITY

Very small, Real, Inverted

PRINCIPAL FOCUS OF CONCAVE LENS OBJECT BEYOND 2F

Light rays incident parallel and close to the
principal axis diverge from one another after
refraction. These rays appear to originate from
a point on the same side. This point is the
principal focus of a concave lens.

IMAGE FORMATION BY LENS Real image Between 2F and f Small and

inverted

OBJECT AT 2F

Image formed at 2F Real image Inverted,

Same size

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OBJECT BETWEEN F AND 2F CONCAVE LENS

Image formed beyond 2F

Real
inverted MAGNIFICATION
Large
It is the ratio between height of the image and
OBJECT AT F height of the object

-Ve = Real and inverted

+Ve = Virtual and erect

When an object of height 3 cm is placed at a

Image at infinity distance of 30 cm from a lens, a real image
is formed at a distance of 60 cm. Find out the
height of the image.
OBJECT BETWEEN F AND LENS

Virtual image Erect Large

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POWER OF LENS
Power of a lens is the reciprocal of focal length
expressed in metres.
LENS FORMULA
It is the relation connecting focal length (f),
object distance (u) and image distance (v)
When an object is placed at a distance of 15
cm from a convex lens, a real image is
formed at a distance of 30 cm. What is the
focal length of the lens?
NEST JUNIOR CLASS 10 ENTRANCE EXAM CONTACT US ON : 6009 100 300
An image is obtained at a distance of 40cm
from a convex lens, when the object is placed
at the same distance on the opposite side.
a) Write any two characteristics of the image
obtained.
b) Find the focal length of the lens
Observe the figure and answer the questions
a) Complete the diagram
b) Write any two features of the image
c) Where must the object be placed to get
real image
of same size of object.
15
 If the power of the lens is +1D. What is the The refractive indices of three media are
focal length? given below:

A ray of light is travelling from A to B and

another ray
is travelling from B to C.
(a) In which of the two cases the refracted
ray bends towards the normal?
(b) In which case does the speed of light
increase in the second medium? Give
reasons for your answer

[Sample question paper 2023-24]

Observe the figure and answer the questions

a) Write the value of u and f using Cartesian

sign convention.
b) Calculate the distance of image from
the lens.

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 i) Explain why the refractive index of any
material with respect to
air is always greater 1.
(ii) In the figure below a light ray travels from
air into the semi-circular plastic block. Give a
reason why the ray does not deviate
at the semi-circular boundary of the plastic
block.
iii)Complete the ray diagram of the above
scenario when the light ray comes out of the
plastic block from the top flat end.
[Sample question paper 2023-24]
NEST JUNIOR CLASS 10 ENTRANCE EXAM CONTACT US ON : 6009 100 300
Define power of a lens. The focal length of a
lens is - 10 cm. Write the nature of the lens
and find its power. If an object is placed at a
distance of 20 cm from the optical centre of
this lens, according to the New Cartesian Sign
Convention, what will be the sign of
magnification in this case?
[2023]
Light ray enters from medium A to medium B
a) Which one of the two medium is denser
with respect to other ? Justify
b) If the speed of the light in medium A is Va
and in medium B is Vb. What is the refractive
index of B with respect to A ?
[2022]
17
 An object is placed in front of a convex lens
of focal length f. If the distance of the object
from the lens is 2f, draw a ray diagram to
show the formation of the image. Write the
value of magnification in this case.

[2023]

A student has focussed the image of a candle

flame on a white screen using a convex lens.
The situation is as given below :
Length of the flame = 2 cm
Focal length of the lens = 12 cm
Distance of the flame from the lens = 16 cm
If the flame is perpendicular to the principal
axis of the lens, calculate the values of the
following:
(i) Distance of the image from the lens
(ii) Length of the image formed

[2023]

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