Chap 3: Reflection of light by

different surfaces.
Think & Discuss
1) Does the explanation on pinhole match with your
observation?
A: Yes, the explanation on pinhole observation matches
with my observation.
2) What happens if the hole is much bigger than that
is equal to size of the flame?
A: If the hole is much bigger than that is equal to size of
the flame the blurred image is formed.
3) If it is so, can we get the image of flame on the
screen of pinhole camera? Why?
A: No, because the light rays coming from the top of the
flame and the bottom of the flame fall at different
points on the screen. So it is blurred and does not
form on the screen.

inverted position.
2. So, the image is formed on the object itself. (Draw
fig 27 pg.no. 60)
8) Do you find any disadvantage in using parabolic
mirror for a solar heater or cooker?
A: Yes, we should place vessel very close to parabolic
mirror when compared with concave mirror.
Pg. No: 45
1. Why does our image appear thin or bulged out in
some mirrors?
A: Due to converging or diverging of light rays.
2. Why is there right- left inversion (Lateral
inversion) when we look into mirror?
A: The light rays which come from object get reflected
from the plane mirror and reach our eye. Our brain
feels that the ray is coming from the inside of the
mirror. So, there is right-left inversion.

4) What happens if we observe the same flame with

the same pinhole camera from a far distance?

3. Why the angle of reflection is equal to angle of

incidence when a light ray gets reflected from a
surface?

A: We may observe not only the flame, but the blurred

A: Because the light selects the path that takes the least

image of entire flame with candle.

time as per Pierre de Fermat.

5) A set of parallel rays falling on a convex mirror.

What conclusions can you draw from this?

4. Are angle of reflection and angle of incidence also

equal for reflection on curved surfaces?

A: (a) A set of parallel rays falling on a convex mirror

A: Yes, angle of reflection and angle of incidence are

are diverging after reflection and are appear to

also equal for reflection on curved surfaces.

coming from a point.

(b) When the reflected rays are extended backwards,

5. Can we focus the sunlight at a point using a

mirror instead of a magnifying glass?

they meet at a point, which is called the focal point or

A: Yes, by using a concave mirror we can focus sunlight

focus (F) of the convex mirror.

(c) Conclusion: the image formed is virtual, straight
(erect) and point sized.
6) Will you get a point image if you place a paper at
focal point?
A: Yes, we will get a point image if we place a paper as
the screen at the focal point.

at a point.
Pg. No: 48.
1. What will you do to obtain the figures that are
shown in the fig 6(b) using mirror strip and fig
6(a)?
A: We place the plane mirror strip on the figure shown in
6(a) in such a manner that you see one of the figures
shown in fig 6(b). The procedure is shown in fig 6c

7) How can one see an image formed on the object

itself? Draw a ray diagram. Do the experiment.

2. Are you able to obtain all figures shown in 6(b)?

A: 1. When an object is placed at the center of curvature,

A: Yes, we are able to obtain all figures shown in 6(b).

the image is formed at the center of curvature, C in Pg.No:49.

4

1. Is the angle of reflection equal to the angle of

incidence in all cases?
A: No, in case of irregular reflection rough surfaces, the

becoming small, beyond the focal point it keeps on

becoming enlarged.

angle of incidence is not equal to the angle of

2. Do we get the image with a concave mirror at the

focus every time?

reflection.

A: No, we do not get the image with a concave mirror at

2. Do the two rays and normal lie in the same plane?

If yes, which is the plane?
A: Yes, the two rays and normal lie in the same plane.
The plane is the plane of reflection.

the focus every time. Because the position of

the image depends on the object distance.
Pg.No:59

3. In which plane does the incident ray, reflected ray

and the normal lie?

1. Where is the base of the candle, expected to be in

the image when the candle is placed on the axis of
the mirror?

A: They all lie in the same plane.

A: The base of the candle, is expected to be on the axis

Pg. No: 50

when the candle is placed on the axis of the mirror.

1. What is the size of image compared to the size of

object?

2. During the experiment, did you get any position

where you could not get an image on the screen?

A: The size of the image is equal to the size of the object

A: When the object is placed at a point on the principal

(or) they have equal (or same) size.

Pg. No: 51
1. What do you say about the size of image compared
to the size of the object?
A: We say that the size of the image is equal to the size
of object.
2. Move the object towards eye. What do you
observe? Is the size of image decreasing or
increasing?
A: When we move the object towards our eye, we
observe that the size of image decreases.
3. Why does an image suffer lateral (right- left)
inversion? What do you understand from the fig
11.
A: The light rays which come from our right ear get
reflected from the plane mirror and reach our
eye. Our brain feels that the ray (reflected ray) is
coming from inside of the mirror. That is why
our right ear looks like left ear in the image.
Pg. No: 55
1. What happens if you hold the paper at a distance
shorter than the focal length from the mirror and
move it away? Does the image of the sun become
smaller or bigger?
A: We will notice that the image of the sun first keeps on
4

axis between focus (F) and pole (P).

Chap 5: Refraction of light at plane

surface
1. Why should you see a mirage as a flowing water?
A: 1. During hot summer day, the air just above the road
surface is very hot and the air at higher attributes
being cool will have more density. The refractive
index increases with density.
2. So, the cooler as at the top has greater refractive
index than hotter air just above the road.
3. Light travels faster through the inner hot air than
the denser cool air above it which will leads to the
total internal reflection and forms mirage that
appears as flowing.
2. Can you take a photo of a mirage?
A: No, mirage is not real, it is optical illusion caused by
virtual images of distant high objects. Hence, we
cannot take photos of mirages.
Pg.No: 93

2) Yes.
3. What could be the reason for this bending of ray at
second instance?
A: It is based on Fermats principle, which states that the
light ray always travels in a path which needs shortest
possible time to cover the distance between the two
given points.
Pg.No:95
1. What differences do you notice in figure 2(a) &
2(b) with respect to refracted rays?
A: See pg no 95 fig 2(a); 2(b).
1) In fig 2(a) the refracted ray bends towards the
normal where as in fig 2(b), the refracted light ray
bends away from the normal.
2) In fig 2(a), the light ray travelling from rarer to
denser medium, while in fig 2(b) it travels from
denser to rarer medium.
2. Is there any relation between behavior of refracted
rays and speed of the light?
A: Yes. The speed of light changes (i.e., decreases or

1. What could be the reasons for the above

observations?

increases) when it travels from one medium to

A: Refraction of light.

towards normal or away from normal.

2. How does it look?

A: From the side it appears to be bend and from the top
it appears to be raised up.
3. Do you find any difference between two views?

another medium. So, the refracted ray may bend

Pg.No:96
1. Why do different material media possess different
values of refractive indices?
A: Refractive index depends on nature of material. So,

A: Yes.

different material media possess different values of

4. Why is there an image of the object on the wall?

refracted indices.

A: The image on the wall is due to refraction of light.

Pg.No: 94
1. Why are you able to see the coin when the vessel is
filled with water?
A: We are able to see the coin when the vessel is filled
with water because of refraction of light.
2. How is it possible? Do you think that the ray
reaches your eye when the vessel is filled with
water?
A: 1) It is possible due to bending of light at the interface
separating water and air.
4

Pg.No: 97
1. On what factors does the refractive index of a
medium depend?
A: Refractive index depends on the following factors
1) Nature of material, 2) wavelength of light used.
Pg.No:98
1. Is there any deviation?
A: Yes.
2. Is this ratio equal to refractive index of glass?
Why?
A: Yes, this ratio gives the value of refractive index of

glass. Because in the above experiment, it is noticed

that r is less than i' in all cases and refracted rays
bend towards normal in each case.
3. What do you conclude from the observations?
A: We conclude that when light ray travels from rarer
medium (air) to denser medium (glass) the value of r is
less than the value of i' and refracted ray bends towards
the normal.
Pg.No: 99
1. Can you guess what happens when light ray
travels from denser medium to rarer medium?
A: When light ray travels from denser medium to rarer
medium, the value of r is more than the i' and
refracted ray bends away from the normal.
2. Why do stars appear in a straight line when we
view them from the top?
A: Due to refraction of light and r is greater then i' in
all cases when light travels from denser (water) to
rarer (air).
Pg.No:100
1. Can we derive the relation between the angle of
incidence and the angles of refraction
theoretically?
A: Yes, we can derive the relation between angle of
incidence and angle of refraction theoretically as

n1 sin i = n2 sin r
Pg.No: 102
1. Is there any chance that angle of refraction is
equal to 90 0 ? When does this happen ?
A: 1) Yes, there is a chance that angle of refraction is
equal to 90 o .
2) When the angle of incidence is equal to critical
angle (c), then the angle of refraction (r) is equal
to 90 o
2. At what angle of incidence do you notice that
refracted ray grazes the interface the separating
the two media air and glass ?
Pg.No:103
1. What happens to the light when the angle of
incidence is greater than critical angle?
Pg.No : 104
1. Can you see the coin?
2. Explain why the coin disappears from view?
3. Can you explain why the image of the coin is
formed?
Pg.No: 105
1. Do you know the reason why it appears so?
Pg.No: 106
1. How does light behave when a glass slab is
introduced in its path?