CHANDRA ACADEMY ,SONEPUR

2024-2025

PHYSICS
NOTES
Subject:
LIGHT REFLECTION & REFRACTION

By R.M
 -:LIGHT :-
It is a form of energy that enables us to see.
- Light always travels in straight line.
- Light makes shadow. Without light Shadow is not possible.
- Light has the maximum speed in this world. Its value is 3x10 8m/s.

When light falls on a surface, following may happen:

(i) Reflection
(ii) Refraction
(iii) Absorption

Reflection:-
Bouncing back of light when it strikes on a polished surface like
mirror.
Laws of Reflection
1) Angle of Incidence = Angle of Reflection
2) Incident ray, normal at the point of incidence are reflected ray all
lie in the same plane.
 Types of Images

Real Image Virtual Image

1) Real images are inverted 1)Virtual images are Erect

2) A real image is formed by Convex2) A virtual image is formed by

lens and Concave Mirror Plane Mirror and Convex Mirror,
Concave Lens
3) These are formed on Screen 3) These are not formed on Screen

4) These are formed due to actual4) These are formed due to

intersection of raysimaginary intersection of rays.

Types of Mirror

1)Plane Mirror
- Object and Image are at equal distance from Plane Mirror.
- If object is real, then image will be virtual and vice versa. - Size of
image is equal to size of object.
Lateral Inversion
The right side of the object appears left side of the image and vice-
versa.
 Application of lateral inversion
→
The word AMBULANCE is written in reverse direction so that it
can be read correctly in rear view mirror of vehicles going in front of it

2)Spherical Mirror
→
Mirrors whose reflecting surface is curved.
→
There are two types of spherical mirrors:
(i) Convex Mirror
(ii) Concave Mirror

Points to Know:-
a) Radius of Curvature (R) - Distance between Pole and the Centre of
Curvature.
b) Centre of Curvature (C) - Centre of that imaginary sphere of which,
mirror is part.
c) Pole (P) – It is the mid-point of its reflecting surface.
d) Principal Axis – Line joining Pole and Centre of Curvature.
 e) Focus (F) – Point on principal axis where all the parallel light rays
actually meet or appear to meet after reflection.
f) Aperture – Effective diameter of the spherical mirror.
g) Focal Length (f) – Distance between Pole and the Focus

= Centre of Curvature
2 Focal length

PRACTICE
1. Define the principal focus of concave mirrors
2.A spherical mirror’s radius of curvature is 20 cm. Calculate the focal
length.
3.Name a mirror that gives an erect and enlarged image of an object.
4.Why are convex mirrors preferred in vehicles?
5.List the image characteristics formed by plane mirrors.
6.What are the laws of reflection of light?
7.What is an optical centre?
8. State the type of mirrors used for
Headlight
Rearview mirror
9.Why is a concave mirror used as a shaving mirror?
10. List the characteristics of an image formed by plane mirrors.
 Types of spherical mirror:-

Properties of Concave mirror

• Reflecting surface is curved inwards.
• Converging mirror
Properties of Convex mirror
• Reflecting surface is curved outwards.
• Diverging mirror

Rules for making ray diagrams by spherical mirror:-

(i)A ray parallel to the principal axis, after reflection, will pass through
the principal focus in case of a concave mirror or appear to diverge from
the principal focus in case of a convex mirror.
(ii) A ray passing through the principal focus of a concave mirror or a ray
which is directed towards the principal focus of a convex mirror, after
reflection, will emerge parallel to the principal axis.

(iii) Ray passing through Center of Curvature of a Concave mirror gets

reflected back in same path.

(iv) A ray incident obliquely to the principal axis, towards a point P (pole
of the mirror), on the concave mirror or a convex mirror, is reflected
obliquely. The incident and reflected rays follow the laws of reflection at
the point of incidence (point P), making equal angles with the principal
axis.
 CONCAVE MIRROR
1)Object placed at Infinity.

Image
Position– At ‘F’
Nature – Real, Inverted
Size – Very Small

2) Object placed behind Center of Curvature

Image
Position – Between ‘F’ and ‘C’
Nature – Real, Inverted
Size – Small

3) Object placed at Centre of Curvature:-

Image
Position – AtC’
‘
Nature – Real, Inverted
Size – Small
4) Object placed between Focus and Centre of Curvature

Image
Position – Beyond ‘C‘
Nature – Real, Inverted
Size – Big

5) Object placed at Focus

Image
Position – At Infinity
Nature – Real, Inverted
Size – Very Big

6) Object placed between Focus and Pole

Image
Position – Behind Mirror
Nature – Virtual ,errect
Size – Big Size

Uses of Concave Mirror –

1)Shaving mirror, torch, dentists, solar furnace
 CONVEX MIRROR

1) Object placed at Infinity 2) Object placed between Infinity and Pole

Uses of Convex Mirror –

1) Rear view mirrors in vehicles because they always give an erect image and
have wider field of view as they are curved outward.
2) Big convex mirrors used in front of Schools, Buildings, Shops
 Sign Convention for Reflection by Spherical Mirror

(i) The object is placed to the left of the mirror.

(ii) All distances parallel to the principal axis are measured from the pole
of the mirror.
(iii) All distances measured in the direction of incident ray (along + X-
axis) are taken as positive and those measured against the direction of
incident ray (along – X-axis) are taken as negative.
(iv) Distance measured perpendicular to and above the principal axis are
taken as positive.
(v)Distances measured perpendicular to and below the principal axis are
taken as negative.

-Object Distance = ‘u’ is always negative.

- Focal Length of concave mirror = Negative.
- Focal Length of convex mirror = Positive
 Mirror Formula

where
v = Image distance
u = Object distance
f = Focal length

Magnification

where
hi = height of Image, ho =height of Object
If m = - ve Image will be Real and Inverted
m = + ve Image will be Virtual and Erect(Straight)
 Numericals
1.An object 4 cm in size is placed at a distance of 25 cm from a
concave mirror of focal length 15 cm. Find the position, nature and
height of the image.

2.A converging mirror forms a real image of height 4 cm, of an object

of height 1 cm placed 20 cm away from the mirror. Calculate the
image distance. What is the focal length of the mirror?

3.An arrow 2.5 cm high is placed at a distance of 25 cm from a

diverging mirror of focal length 20 cm., Find the nature, position and
size of the image formed.

4. Find the size, nature and position of image formed by a concave

mirror, when an object of size 1cm is placed at a distance of 15cm.
Given focal length of mirror is 10cm.

5.A 2.5cm candle is placed 12 cm away from a convex mirror of focal

length 30cm. Give the location of the image and the magnification.

6.An object is placed 18cm front of a mirror. If the image is formed at

4cm to the right of the mirror. Calculate its focal length. Is the
mirror convex or concave? What is the nature of the image? What is
the radius of curvature of the mirror?
 Refraction
→Refraction is bending of light when it enters obliquely from one
transparent medium to another.
→Speed of light is maximum in vaccum. It is 3 × 10 8m/s.
→
Cause of refraction: Change in speed of light.

1.When light ray goes from denser to rarer medium it bends away from
normal.
2) When light rays go from rarer to denser medium it bends towards
the normal.

Cause of Refraction
As we know speed of light is different in different media, i.e. more
in rarer medium and comparatively less in denser medium. So,
when light enters a denser medium, its speed reduces and it bends
towards the normal and when it enters rarer medium, its speed
increases and it bends away from the normal
 Recatngular Glass Slab Experiment

i = Angle of incidence
r = Angle of Refraction
e = Angle of Emergence Angle of incidence = Angle of Emergence,
∠ i = ∠e If the incident ray falls normally to the surface of glass
slab, then there is no bending of ray of light ; i.e. it goes straight.

Laws of Refraction

1) 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.
2) Snell’s Law - The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of
angle of refraction is constant, for a light of given color and for a
given pair of media. - It is expressed as :
sin i /sin r = μ = constant [ “μ” is refractive index ]
 Refractive Index

The extent of change in direction that takes place in a given pair of

media is expressed in terms of refractive index.

- 1μ2 represents refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium

1, when light is going from medium 1 to medium 2.
1μ2 = μ2 /μ1 = Sin i /Sin r
The refractive index of a medium with respect to vacuum is called
Absolute refractive index of medium.
For Glass/ Water pair –
wμg = aμg/aμw
- If question is related to speed:
NUMERICALS
1.Calculate the speed of light in water and also in ice. The absolute
refractive index of ice is 1.31 and water is 1.53. In which medium is the
speed highest?

2.Calculate the speed of light in benzene. The absolute refractive index

of benzene is 1.50.

3. The velocity of light in kerosene is 2.08 × 108 m/s and in water is

1.96 × 108 m/s. By referring to the given values calculate or find the
refractive index of the kerosene with respect to the water medium.

4.What is a Refractive Index?

5.What is the refractive index of water?

6.Is the speed of light faster in glass or water?

7.What is the formula to calculate the refractive index of a medium?

8.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.
 Spherical Lens
A transparent material bound by two surfaces, of which both surfaces
are spherical forms a lens.

Convex Lens Concave Lens

a) Centre of Curvature (C) – A lens has two spherical surfaces. Each
surface forms a part a part of a sphere. The center of these spheres are
called Centre of curvature. C1 & C2 ] [ or 2F1 & 2F2 ]
b) Principal Axis – An imaginary straight line passing through the two
centers of curvature of a lens is called its Principal Axis.
c) Optical Centre (O) – Central Point of a lens is called optical center.
d) Aperture - Effective diameter of the circular outline of a spherical lens
s called its aperture.
e) Principal Focus (F) - The point where the rays parallel to principal axis
after refraction meet is called principal focus. A lens has two principal
focus.
f) Focal Length (f) - The distance of principal focus from optical center.
RAY DIAGRAMS Some Rules –
1)Rays which are parallel to principal axis, after refraction will pass
through principal focus in case of convex lens and will appear to be coming
from principal axis in case of concave lens.

2) Ray passing through the focus will emerge parallel to principal axis.

3)Ray directed to Optical Centre will emerge out undeviated

 CONVEX LENS
1)Object placed at Infinity 2)Object placed behind Center of Curvature

3)Object placed at Centre of Curvature

4)Object placed between Focus and Centre of
Curvature

5)Object placed at Focus 6)Object placed between Focus and Pole

Uses of Convex Lens –
1)Used for making Microscopes, Magnifying glasses
2)Used for making Specs and Cameras
 CONCAVE LENS

1)Object placed at Infinity 2)Object placed between Infinity and Pole

Uses of Concave Lens Le

1)Used for making Specs, Lasers, Cameras

Sign Convention
1) Sign conventions are same like mirrors, now the measurements are
taken from Optical Center instead of Pole.
2) Focal Length of Convex Lens = Positive (+) 3) Focal Length of Concave
Lens = Negative (-)

Lens Formula
1/ f = 1 /v – 1/ u

F=Focal length v =Image distance u =Object distance

Magnification m = hi/ ho = v /u
hi= height of Image ho= height of Object
 POWER

→ It is dened as the reciprocal of focal length in

meter.
→The degree of convergence or divergence of light
rays is expressed in terms of power.
Power (P) = 1/f = 1/v - 1/u
→ SI unit of Power = dioptre = D
→ 1 D = 1 m-1
→ 1 dioptre is the power of lens whose focal length is one
meter.

Power of convex lens = Positive

Power of concave lens = Negative

→Power ∝ 1/(focal length or thickness)

→ Power of a lens combination (P) = P1 + P2 + P3 .........
REETHINK
RECREATE
 Mirror Numericals
Q.1. A convex lens of focal length 10 cm is placed at a distance of 12 cm from a wall. How far
from the lens should an object be placed so as to form its real image on the wall?
Answer
Q.2. If an object of 7 cm height is placed at a distance of 12 cm from a convex lens of focal
length 8 cm, find the position, nature and height of the image.
Answer
Q.3. An object 4 cm high is placed at a distance of 10cm from a convex lens of focal length
20cm. Find the position, nature and size of the image.
Answer
Q.4. A small object is so placed in front of a convex lens of 5 cm focal length that a virtual
image is formed at a distance of 25 cm. Find the magnification.
Answer
Q.5. Find the position and nature of the image of an object 5 cm high and 10 cm in front of a
convex lens of focal length 6 cm.
Answer
Q.6. Calculate the focal length of a convex lens, which produces a virtual image at a distance of
50 cm of an object placed 20 cm in front of it.
Answer
Q.7. An object is placed at a distance of 100 cm from a converging lens of focal length 40 cm.
What is the nature and position of the image?
Answer
Q.8. A convex lens produces an inverted image magnified three times of an object at a distance
of 15 cm from it. Calculate focal length of the lens.
Answer
Q.9. An object placed 4 cm in front of a converging lens produces a real image 12 cm from the
lens. What is the magnification of the image? What is the focal length of the lens? Also draw
the ray diagram to show the formation of the image.
Answer
Q.10. A lens of focal length 20 cm is used to produce a ten times magnified image of a film slide
on a screen. How far must the slide be placed from the lens?
Answer
 Mirror Numericals
Q.11. Determine how far an object must be placed in front of a converging lens of focal length 10
cm in order to produce an erect image of linear magnification 4.
Answer
Q.12. A convex lens of focal length 6 cm is held 4 cm from a newspaper, which has print 0.5 cm
high. By calculation, determine the size and nature of the image produced.
Answer
Q.13. A convex lens of focal length 0.10 m is used to form a magnified image of an object of
height 5 mm placed at a distance of 0.08 m from the lens. Find the position, nature and size of
the image.
Answer
Q.14. An erect image 2 cm high is formed 12 cm from a lens, the object being 0.5 cm high. Find
the focal length of the lens.
Answer
Q.15. The filament of a lamp is 80 cm from a screen and a converging lens forms an image of it
on a screen, magnified three times. Find the distance of the lens from the filament and the focal
length of the lens.
Answer
Q.16. An object 2 cm tall is placed on the axis of a convex lens of focal length 5 cm at a distance
of 10 cm from the optical centre of the lens. Find the nature, position and size of the image
formed. Which case of image formation by convex lenses is illustrated by this example?
Answer
Q.17. A converging lens of focal length 5 cm is placed at a distance of 20 cm from a screen.
How far from the lens should an object be placed so as to form its real image on the screen?
Answer
Q.18. An object 5 cm high is held 25 cm away from a converging lens of focal length 10 cm. Find
the position, size and nature of the image formed. Also draw the ray diagram.
Answer
Q.19. At what distance should an object be placed from a convex lens of focal length 18 cm to
obtain an image at 24 cm from it on the other side? What will be the magnification produced in
this case?
Answer
Q.20. The magnification produced by a spherical lens is +2.5. What is the nature of image and
lens?
 POWER NUMERICAL
Q.1. A concave lens produces an image 20 cm from the lens of an object placed
30 cm from the lens. Calculate the power of the lens.
Q.2. A convex lens is of focal length 10 cm. What is its power?
Q.3. A person having a myopia eye uses a concave lens of focal length 50 cm.
What is the power of the lens?
Q.4. A thin lens has a focal length of –25 cm. What is the power of the lens and
what is its nature?
Q.5. A lens has a power of –2.5 D. What is the focal length and nature of the
lens? 6.Find the power of a concave lens of focal length 2 m.
Q.6. A convex lens forms a real and inverted image of needle at a distance of 50
cm from the lens. If the image is of the same size as the needle, where is the
needle placed in front of the lens? Also, find the power of the lens.
Q.7. Two thin lenses of power +3.5 D and –2.5 D are placed in contact. Find the
power and focal length of the lens combination.
Q.8. A doctor has prescribed a corrective lens of power –1.5 D. Find the focal
length of the lens. Is the prescribed lens is diverging or converging?
Q.9. A concave lens of focal length 25 cm and a convex lens of focal length 20
cm are placed in contact with each other. What is the power of this
combination? Also, calculate focal length of the combination.
Q.10. A convex lens of focal length 20 cm is placed in contact with a concave lens
of focal length 10 cm. What is the focal length and power of the combination?
Q.11. An object is placed at a distance of 50 cm from a concave lens of focal
length 30 cm. Find the nature and position of the image.
Q.12. An object of height 2 cm is placed at a distance of 15 cm in front of a
concave lens of power –10 D. Find the size of the image.