QUESTION BANK

RAY OPTICS

SECTION A
1-Mark Questions
Q1. Which of the following does not change during the refraction of light?
frequency, velocity or wavelength of light
Q2. State Snell’s law of refraction?
Q3. Define refractive index of the material?
Q4. Which mirror is used as driver's mirror?
Q5. Define principal focus of a mirror?
Q6. Show the variation of u and v in the case of a concave mirror?
Q7. Write the relation between the object distance (u), image distance (v) and focal length (f)
of a concave mirror?

Q8. If the wavelength (colour) of incident light on a concave mirror is changed, how will the
focal length of the mirror change?

Q9. State the laws of reflection of light?

Light travelling in a medium with the velocity 3 × 108m/s is refracted into a second
medium in which it travels with a velocity 2 × 108m/s. What is a refractive index of the
Q10.

second medium?

Q11. Light a wavelength 5000 °𝐴 in air enters a medium of refractive index 1.4 what will be its
frequency in the medium?

Q12. What is the ratio of velocity of two light waves travelling in vacuum and having wavelength
4000°𝐴 and 8000°𝐴 ?

Q13. Can absolute refractive index of any material be less than one. Why?
Q14. State the principle of an optical fibre?
Q15. What do you mean by critical angle?
Q16. Write the relation between critical angle and refractive index?
Q17. What is the main use of optical fibres?
Q18. Calculate the speed of light in a medium whose critical angle is 30 ?
Q19. State the thin lens formula?
Q20. Define power of a lens and write its SI unit?

Q21. Which of the following is not due to total internal reflection?

a) Brilliance of diamond
b) Working of optical fibre

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 1 of 484

 c) Difference between apparent and real depth of a pond
d) Mirage on hot summer days
Q22. An object is placed at the focus of the convex mirror. If its focal length is 20cm, the
distance of image from the mirror is
a) 10cm
b) 20cm
c) 40cm
d) None of the above
Q23. An object is placed at the focus of a concave mirror. If the focal length of the mirror is
20cm, then the distance of image from the pole is
a) 10cm
b) 20cm
c) 40cm
d) Infinity

deviation 𝑑𝑚 for a triangular prism is

Q24. The relation between angle of incidence i , angle of prism A and angle of minimum

a) A+𝑑𝑚 = i
b) A+𝑑𝑚 = 2i
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

c) =i
d) 2A+𝑑𝑚 = i

Q25. The critical angle for total internal reflection from a medium to vacuum is 30º. The velocity of
light in the medium is

a) 3 × 108m/s
b) 1.5 × 108m/s

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 2 of 484

 c) 6 × 108m/s
d) m/s
Q26. A beam of light passes from air to glass. How does the speed of light vary a)
decreases
b) increases
c) remains unchanged
d) it may decrease or increase, depending on the colour
Q27. A convex length of focal length is put in contact with a concave lens of same focal length.
The equivalent focal length of the combination is a) zero
b) f
c) 2f
d) Infinity

Q28. Half of the lens is wrapped in black paper. How will it change the image
a) Size of image is halved
b) Intensity of image is halved
c) There is no change in the size of image or intensity
d) Both size and intensity of the image are changed.
Q29. Which of the following produces virtual as well as real image.

a) Concave lens and Convex mirror

b) Convex Mirror and Convex lens
c) Convex lens and Concave mirror
d) Concave mirror and Concave lens
𝑢 𝑣 distance of
the object and v is that of the image?
a) Straight line b) Parabola c) Ellipse d) Hyperbola

Q31. A ray of light passes through a plane glass slab of thickness t and refractive index µ
= 1.5, The angle between the incident ray and the emergent ray will be
a) 0º b) 30º c) 45º d) 60º

Q32. A convex lens of power 4D and a concave lens of power 3D are placed in contact. What is
the equivalent power of the combination?
Q30. What is the nature of the graph between and for a convex lens where u is the

a) 7D b) D c) 1D d) D

Q33. A lens behaves as a diverging lens in air (n=1) and a converging lens in water (n=1.3).

The refractive index µ of the material of the lens is

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 3 of 484

 a) 1 n< 1.3
b) n> 1.3
c) n< 1.0
b) n =

Q34. For using a convex lens as a magnifying glass, where should we place the object?

a) At the principal focus

b) Nearer to the lens
c) At , where f = focal length
d) Anywhere
Q35. A lens of power 3.5D is placed is contact with a lens of power -2.5D. The combination will
behave like

a) A convergent lens of focal length 100cm

b) A divergent lens of focal length 100cm
c) A convergent lens of focal length 200cm
d) A divergent lens of focal length 200cm

ASSERTION AND REASON

Directions: These questions consist of two statements, each printed as Assertion and Reason. While
answering these questions, you are required to choose any one of the following four responses.
(a) If both Assertion and Reason are correct and the Reason is a correct explanation of the
Assertion.

(b) If both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not a correct explanation of the
Assertion.

(c) If the Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.

(d) If both the Assertion and Reason are incorrect.
Q36. Assertion: Plane mirror may form real image
Reason: Plane mirror forms virtual image, if object is real.
Q37. Assertion: The focal length of the convex mirror will increase, if the mirror is placed in water.

Reason: The focal length of a convex mirror of radius R is equal to f = R/2.

Q38. Assertion: The image formed by a concave mirror is certainly real if the object is virtual.
Reason: The image formed by a concave mirror is certainly virtual if the object is real.
[Link]: If the rays are diverging after emerging from a lens; the lens must be concave.
Reason: The convex lens can give diverging rays.
Q40. Assertion: The optical instruments are used to increase the size of the image of the object.
Reason: The optical instruments are used to increase the visual angle.

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 4 of 484

Q41. Assertion: The resolving power of a telescope is more if the diameter of the objective lens is
more.

Reason: Objective lens of large diameter collects more light.

Q42. Assertion: The focal length of an equiconvex lens of radius of curvature R made of material of
refractive index n = 1.5, is R.

Reason: The focal length of the lens will be R/2.

Q43. Assertion (A): The maximum intensity in interference pattern is four times the intensity due to
each slit.

Reason (R): Intensity is directly proportional to square of amplitude.

Q44. Assertion (A): Diffraction is common in sound but not common in light waves.
Reason (R): Wavelength of light is more than the wavelength of sound.
Q45. Assertion (A): Interference obeys the law of conservation of
energy.
Reason (R): The energy is redistributed in case of interference.

2 MARKS QUESTIONS
Q46. A concave mirror is placed in water. Will there be any change in its focal length? Give reason?

Q47. An object under water appears to be at a lesser depth than in reality, why?
Q48. The refractive index of the material of a concave lens is n. It is immersed in a medium of
refractive index n1. A parallel beam of light is incident on the lens. Trace the path of emergent
rays in each of the following cases:

i) n1> n ii) n1< n iii) n1 = n

Q49. An air bubble is formed inside water. Does it act as a converging lens or a diverging lens?
Explain.

Q50. An equi-convex lens of radius of curvature R is cut into two equal parts by a vertical plane, so
it becomes a Plano convex lens. If f is the focal length of the equi-convex lens, then what will
be focal length of Plano convex lens?

Q51. An object is kept in front of a concave mirror as shown in figure.

Complete the ray diagram showing the image formation of the
object.

How will the position and intensity of the image be affected if the lower half of the mirrors
reflecting surface is painted black?

Q52. A spherical convex surface of radius of curvature 20cm made of glass of refractive index
1.5 is placed in air. Find the position of the image formed if a point object is placed 30cm in

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 5 of 484

 front of a convex surface on the principal axis?
Q53. The radii of curvature of the faces of a double convex lens are 10cm and 15cm. If the focal
length of the lens is 12cm, find the refractive index of the material of the lens?

Q54. An object is kept in front of a concave mirror of focal length 15cm. Calculate the refractive
index of the material of the lens?

Q55. State the condition under which a large magnification can be achieved in an astronomical
telescope?
THREE MARKS QUESTIONS

Q56. State the condition for total internal reflection of light to take place at an interface
separating two transparent media. Hence derive the expression for the critical angle in terms of
the speeds of light in two media. (CBSE D 2000)

Q57. (i) What is total internal reflection? Under what conditions does it occur?
(ii) Find a relation between critical angle and refractive index.
(iii) Name one phenomenon which is based on total internal reflection.
Q58. (i) Name the phenomenon on which the working of an optical fiber is based.
(ii) What are the necessary conditions for this phenomenon to occur?
(iii) Draw a labelled diagram of an optical fiber and show how light propagates through the
optical fiber using this phenomenon.

[Link] are optical fibers? Mention their one practical application.

[Link] the basic assumptions in the derivation of lens maker’s formula. Hence derive this
expression. (CBSE OD 20)
Q61. Using the ray diagram for a system of two lenses of focal lengths f1 and f2 in contact with each
other, show that two lens system can be regarded as equivalent to a single lens of focal length f,

where . Also write the relation for the equivalent power of the lens combination.

(CBSE 17, 19, 20)

Q62. Draw a graph to show the variation of the angle of deviation δ with that of the angle of
incidence i for a monochromatic ray of light passing through a glass prism of refracting angle A.

Hence deduce the relation:

(CBSE D 17C)

Q63. A concave lens made of material of refractive index ‘n2’is held in a reference medium of
refractive index ‘n1’. Trace the path of parallel beam of light passing through the lens when:

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 6 of 484

(i) n1 = n2 (ii) n1 < n2 (iii) n1 > n2 (CBSE OD 2000, 03C)
5 MARKS QUESTIONS

Q64. (a) Draw a ray diagram to show image formation when the concave mirror produces a real,
inverted and magnified image of the object.

(b) Obtain the mirror formula and write the expression for the linear magnification.

(c) Explain two advantages of a reflecting telescope over a refracting telescope. (CBSE 18)
Q65. (a)A spherical surface of radius
of curvature, separates a rarer and a
denser medium as shown in figure.
Complete the path of the incident
ray of light, showing the formation of
a real image. Hence derive the
relation connecting object distance
‘u’, image distance ‘v’, radius of
curvature R and the refractive indices
n1 and n2 of the two media.

(b)Briefly explain, how the focal length of a convex lens changes, with increase in wavelength of
incident light. (CBSEOD 04; D 16C)

[Link] expression for the Lens Maker’s formula where the symbols
have usual meanings. State the assumptions used and the convention of signs.

Q67. Trace the path of a monochromatic ray of light through a prism of refracting angle ‘A’. Draw a
graph to show the variation of angle of deviation ‘δ’ with the variation of angle of incidence

‘i’.Deduce the relation (CBSE F 08; D 16)

SECTION B

1 MARK QUESTIONS

Q1. What happens to the focal length of a lens when it is immersed in water?
Q2. What happens to the power of a lens immersed in water?
Q3. How can a convex lens behave like a diverging lens?
Q4. An object is placed at the focus of a concave lens, where will be the image formed?

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 7 of 484

 Q5. Two lenses having focal lengths 𝑓1𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓2 are placed in contact. what is the focal length
of the combination?

Q6. A converging and the diverging lens of equal focal lengths are placed co-axially in contact.
Find the focal length and power of the combination?

A double convex lens made from a material of refractive index 𝑛2is immersed in a liquid of
refractive index𝜇1(𝑛2 > 𝑛1 ) what change if any would occur in the nature of the lens?
Q7.

Q8. A glass lens of refractive index 1.45 is placed in a liquid, what must be the refractive index
of the liquid in order to make the lens disappear?

Q9. For the same value of angle of incidence, the angles of refraction in three media are
and 35 respectively. In which medium would the velocity of light be

minimum?
Q10. A biconvex lens made of a transparent medium of refractive index 1.5 is immersed in
water of refractive index 1.33. Will the lens behave as a converging or diverging lens. Give
reason?

Q11. Draw the path of ray of light suffering minimum deviation while passing through a prism?

Q12. Plot a graph to show the variation of angle of deviation as a function of angle of incidence
for light rays passing through a prism?

Q13. Write down the relation between the refractive index of the material of the prism, angle of
prism and angle of minimum deviation?

Q14. What do you mean by angle of minimum deviation?

Q15. What is the relation between refractive index and wavelength of light?
Q16. Write down the expression for magnifying power of a compound microscope?

MCQ

Q17. A convex lens of focal length 10 cm is placed in contact with a concave lens of focal length
20cm. What is the nature and focal length of the combination?

a) Concave,10cm
b) Convex, 10cm
c) Concave, 20cm
d) Convex, 20cm
Q18. A convex lens of focal length 16cm forms a virtual image of double the size of the object.
What is the distance of the object from the lens?

a) 8cm b) 16cm c) 24cm d) 32cm

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 8 of 484

 Q19. The angle of prism is 30º and ray incident at 60º on one refracting surface suffers a
deviation of 30 º. What is the angle of emergence?

a) 0 º b) 15 c) 30 º d) 45 º
Q20. A ray of light passes through an equilateral prism such that the angle of incidence is equal
to angle of emergence and the later is equal 3/4th the angle of prism. The angle of
deviation is

a) 45 º b) 39 º c) 20 º d) 30 º
Q21. A convex length of focal length 15cm is made of material having refractive index
1.2. When placed in water of refractive index 1.3 it will behave as
a) Converging lens of focal length 15cm
b) Converging lens of focal length different than 15 cm
c) Diverging lens of focal length 15cm
d) Diverging lens of focal length different than 15 cm

ASSERTION AND REASON

Q22. Assertion (A): We cannot get diffraction pattern from a wide slit illuminated by
monochromatic light.

Reason (R): In diffraction pattern, all the bright bands are not of the same intensity.
Q23. Assertion (A): When a light wave travels from a rarer to a denser medium, it loses speed.
The reduction in speed imply a reduction in energy carried by the light wave. Reason (R): The
energy of a wave is proportional to velocity of wave.

Q24. Assertion (A): The film which appears bright in reflected system will appear dark in the
transmitted light and vice-versa.

Reason (R): The conditions for film to appear bright or dark in reflected light are just reverse to
those in the transmitted light.
Q25. Assertion (A): In Young’s double slit experiment, the fringes become indistinct if one of the
slits is covered with cellophane paper.

Reason (R): The cellophane paper decrease the wavelength of light.

Q26. Assertion (A): One of the conditions for interference is that the two sources should be very
narrow.

Reason (R): One broad source is equal to large number of narrow sources.
2 MARKS QUESTION

Q27. Give reasons to explain why a reflecting telescope is preferred over a refracting telescope?

Q28 Draw a ray diagram to show as to how a right isosceles prism made of crown glass can be used
to obtain an inverted image?

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 9 of 484

 Q29 A ray of light incident on a equilateral prism propagates parallel to the baseline of the prism
inside it. Find the angle of incidence of this ray, given the refractive index of the

material of the prism is √3 ?

Q30. What is total internal reflection and what are the conditions under which it occurs?
Q31. The objective of a telescope is of larger focal length and of larger aperture compared to

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 10 of 484

(ii)The sum of focal lengths of the two lenses of a refracting telescope is 105 cm. The focal length of
one lens is 20 times that of the other. Determine the total magnification of the telescope when the
final image is formed at infinity. [All India 2014]

SECTION-C
1MARK

Q1. On what factors does the magnifying power of a compound microscope depend?
Q2. What is the nature of final image formed in a compound microscope?
Q3. What do you mean by normal adjustment of a telescope?
Q4. The focal length of the objective and eyepiece of a telescope are
𝑓𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑒respectively what is the magnifying power of the telescope in normal
adjustment?

Q5. Name the two types of reflecting telescopes?

Q6. Write the important features of a good telescope?
Q7. Define the term magnifying power of a compound microscope?
Q8. Write the expression for magnifying power of a telescope when the final image is formed
at the least distance of distinct vision

Q9. In a telescope objective lens is of large focal length while eyepiece is of small focal length.
Why

Q10. Out of blue and red light which is deviated more by a prism? Give reason?
MCQ

Q11. To increase the magnifying power of a telescope, we should increase

a) Focal length of the objective
b) Focal length of the eyepiece
c) Aperture of the objective.
d) Aperture of the eyepiece.

Q12. In a compound microscope, the objective produces a magnification of 10, while the
eyepiece produces a magnification of 5, then the overall magnification achieved by a
compound microscope is

a) 2 b) 50 c) 0.5 d) 25
Q13. If 𝑓𝑜and 𝑓𝑒 are the focal lengths of the objective and eyepiece of an astronomical
telescope, the length of the tube is

a) 𝑓𝑜+ 𝑓𝑒

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 11 of 484

 b) 𝑓𝑜- 𝑓𝑒
c)

d)
Q14. An astronomical telescope is set for normal adjustment and the distance between the
objective and eyepiece is 1.05 metre. The magnifying power of the telescope is 20.

What is the focal length of the objective?

a) 2m b) 1m c) .5m d) .25m
Q15. When a telescope is in normal adjustment, the distance of the objective from the eyepiece is
100cm. if the magnifying power of the telescope in normal adjustment is

24, the focal length of the lenses are

a) 96cm, 4cm b) 90cm, 10cm c) 80cm, 20cm d) 50cm, 50cm
2MARKS
Q16. Draw a ray diagram to show the image formation by a concave mirror when the object is
placed between its focus and pole. Using this diagram, derive the magnification produced in
the image.

Q17. Draw a labelled diagram for the formation of image by a compound microscope when the
final image is formed at the near point or the least distance of distinct vision?

Q18. Draw a ray diagram to obtain the image at the least distance of distinct vision using an
astronomical telescope?

Q19 Draw a schematic ray diagram of a reflecting type telescope (Cassegrain)?

Q20. Draw a ray diagram to obtain the image by an astronomical telescope in normal
adjustment position?

3MARKS

Q21. Two convex lenses A and B of an astronomical telescope having focal lengths 5cm and 20 cm
respectively, are arranged as shown in the figure:

(i) Which one of the two lenses you will select to use
as the objective lens and why?
(ii) What should be the change in the distance
between the lenses to have the telescope in its normal
adjustment position?
(iii) Calculate the magnifying power of the telescope
in the normal adjustment position. (CBSE SAMPLE PAPER 2003) Q22. Which two of the following
lenses L1, L2 and L3 will you select as objective and eyepiece for constructing best possible (i)
telescope (ii) microscope? Give reason to support your answer. (CBSE D 09, 15C; OD 17)

Lenses Power (P) Aperture(A)

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 12 of 484

 L1 3D 8cm
L2 6D 1 cm
L3 10 D 1 cm

Q23. Four double convex lenses, with the following specifications are available:

Lenses Focal length Aperture(A)

A 100 cm 10 cm
B 100 cm 5 cm
C 10 cm 2cm
D 5 cm 2 cm

Which two of the given four lenses, should be selected as the objective and eyepiece to construct an
astronomical telescope and why? What will be the magnifying power and normal length of the
telescope tube so constructed?

Write the advantages of reflecting type telescope over such a telescope.

Or

Which two of the above four lenses should be selected as objective and eyepiece of a compound
microscope and why? How can the magnifying power of such a microscope be increased? Draw a
labelled ray diagram for the image formation in such a microscope. (CBSE SAMPLE PAPER 2005)

Q24. An optical instrument uses eye-lens of power 12.5 D and object lens of power 50D and has a
tube length of 20 cm. Name the optical instrument and calculate its magnifying power, if it forms the
final image at infinity. (CBSE D 17)

Q25. A plot, between the angle of deviation (δ) and angle of incidence (i), for a triangular prism
is shown in figure:
Explain why any given value of ‘δ’ corresponds to two values of angle of incidence. State the
significance of point P on the graph. (CBSE SAMPLE PAPER 2011)

Q26. Define power of the lens. Why is the power of a lens

measured as the reciprocal of its focal length? Give its SI
unit and define it. Sun glasses have curved surfaces but
they do not have any power. Why?

5MARKS

Q27. (a) Derive mirror equation for a convex mirror.

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 13 of 484

(b) Using it, show that a convex mirror always produces a virtual image, independent of the

location of the object. (CBSE SP 20)

[Link] a ray diagram showing the formation of the image by a point object on the principal axis
of a spherical convex surface separating two media of refractive indices n1 and n2, when a point
source is kept in the rarer medium of refractive index n1. Derive the relation between object and
image distance in terms of refractive index of the medium and radius of curvature of the surface.
Hence obtain the expression for Lens Maker’s formula in the case of thin convex lens.

(CBSE D 09, 14, 14C, OD 16)

Q29. Draw a ray diagram to show the working of a compound microscope. Deduce an expression for
the total magnification when the final image is formed at the near point.

In a compound microscope, an object is placed at a distance of 1.5 cm from the objective of focal
length 1.25 cm. If the eye piece has a focal length of 5 cm and the final image is formed at the near
point, estimate the magnifying power of the microscope. (CBSE D10)

Q30.(a) Draw a ray diagram for final image formed at distance of distinct vision (D) by a compound
microscope and write an expression for its magnifying power.

(b) An angular magnification of 30X is desired for a compound microscope using an objective of focal
length 1.25 cm and eyepiece of focal length 5cm. How will you set up the compound microscope?
(CBSE SP 20)

Q31.(i) What is meant by ‘normal adjustment’ in case of an astronomical telescope? Trace the paths
of three rays from a distant object through an astronomical telescope in normal adjustment. (ii)A
small telescope has an objective lens of focal length 140 cm and an eye-piece of focal length 5.0
[Link] is the(a) magnifying power of telescope for viewing distant objects when the telescope is in
normal adjustment (i.e., when the final image is at infinity)?
(b) the final image is formed at the least distance of distinct vision (D = 25cm)? (CBSE OD13) (c) What
is the separation between the objective and eye lens when final image is formed at infinity?

(d) If this telescope is used to view a 100m tall tower 3km away, what is the height of the image
of the tower formed by the objective lens?

(e) what is the height of the final image of the tower if it is formed at the least distance of
distinct vision D = 25 cm.

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 14 of 484

Previous Year CBSE Questions Page 15 of 484