RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
Problems: RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
1) An object of size 3 cm is placed 14 cm in front of a concave lens of focal length 21 cm.
Calculate position and size of the image. (July 2019)
Given:
In ray optics, sign convention must be applied for numerical values before solving any
problems.
By sign convention,
Image is virtual.
Image is erect and diminished.
2) The radii of curvature of the two faces of a biconvex lens are and respectively.
Find the focal length of the lens. Refractive index of the material of the lens is 1.6. Also
find the power of the lens.
Given:
By sign convention,
3) A convex lens of focal length 0.24m and of refractive index 1.5 is completely immersed in
water of refractive index 1.33. Find the change in the focal length of the lens.
Given:
By sign convention,
U N Swamy, Lecturer in Physics, MGGPUC, KUNIGAL Page|1
RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
Here and were not given, first find
Now, and
When lens is immersed in water
Now, and
Change in focal length,
4) The radii of curvature of the two faces of a convex lens are and . Find the focal
length of the lens if refractive index of the material of the lens is 1.5. Also find the change
in focal length, if it is immersed in water of refractive index . (Jul 2018)
Given:
By sign convention,
Now, and
When lens is immersed in water
Now, and
Change in focal length,
U N Swamy, Lecturer in Physics, MGGPUC, KUNIGAL Page|2
RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
5) A ray of light passes through an equilateral glass prism such that the refracted ray inside
the prism is parallel to its base. Calculate the (Apr/May 2022)
(a) angle of deviation of the ray and (b) speed of light ray inside the prism.
Given: the refractive index of glass and the speed of light in vacuum
At the minimum deviation , the refracted ray inside the prism becomes parallel to its base.
We have angle of deviation is equal to angle of minimum deviation
6) A prism is made of glass of unknown refractive index. A parallel beam of light is incident
on a face of the prism. By rotating the prism, the angle of minimum deviation is measured
to be . What is the refractive index of the material of the prism? If the prism is placed in
water ( , calculate the new angle of minimum deviation of a parallel beam of
light. The refracting angle of the prism is .
Given:
Here and
If the prism is immersed in water,
Here and
U N Swamy, Lecturer in Physics, MGGPUC, KUNIGAL Page|3
RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
7) Two lenses of focal lengths and are kept in contact. Find the focal length of
the combination. Calculate the powers of two lenses and combination. (Mar-2014)
Given:
8) At what angle should a ray of light be incident on the face of an equilateral prism so that it
just suffers total internal reflection at the other face? The refractive index of the material of
the prism is (Mar 2020)
Given:
For total internal reflection, the angle of incidence in the denser medium must be greater than
critical angle. Here the ray just suffers total internal reflection; hence angle of incidence in the
denser medium is nearly equal to critical angle.
We have,
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RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
9) A small bulb is placed at the bottom of a tank containing water to a depth of . Find the
critical angle for water-air interface. Also calculate the diameter of the circular bright patch
of light formed on the surface of the water. R I of water is .
Given:
From trigonometry,
Additional Problems:
1) A prism of angle 600 produces angle of minimum deviation of 400. What is its refractive index?
Calculate the angle of incidence. (Jul-2014)
2) Double-convex lenses are to be manufactured from a glass of refractive index 1.55, with both
faces of the same radius of curvature. What is the radius of curvature required if the focal
length is to be 20cm?
3) A beam of light converges at a point P. Now a lens is placed in the path of the convergent
beam 12cm from P. At what point does the beam converge if the lens is (a) a convex lens of
focal length 20cm, and (b) a concave lens of focal length 16cm?
4) A small bulb is placed at the bottom of a tank containing water to a depth of 80cm. What is the
area of the surface of water through which light from the bulb can emerge out? Refractive
index of water is 1.33. (Consider the bulb to be a point source.)
U N Swamy, Lecturer in Physics, MGGPUC, KUNIGAL Page|5
