PHYSICS Question Bank

Grade: X
Chapter: 9 Light
1. What is the magnification of the images formed by plane mirrors and why? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Magnification of images formed by plane mirrors is unity because for plane mirrors, the
size of the image formed is equal to that of the object.
2. Draw a labelled ray diagram to show the path of the reflected ray corresponding to an
incident ray of light parallel to the principal axis of a convex mirror. Mark the angle of
incidence and angle of reflection on it. (AI 2019)
Answer:

3. If the image formed by a spherical mirror for all positions of the object placed in front of it
is always erect and diminished , what type of mirror is it? Draw a labelled ray diagram to
support your answer. (2018)
Answer:
If the image formed by a spherical mirror is always erect and diminished then it is convex
mirror.

4. An object is placed at a distance of 30 cm in front of a convex mirror of focal length 15 cm.

Write four characteristics of the image formed by the mirror. (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Four characteristics of the image formed by the given convex mirror are :
(i) Virtual
(ii) Erect
(iii) Diminished
(iv) Image is always formed behind the mirror between pole and focus.
5. A ray of light is incident on a convex mirror as shown. Redraw the diagram and complete
the path of this ray after reflection from the mirror. Mark angle of incidence and angle of
 reflection on it. (Delhi 2016)

Answer:

6. Name the type of mirrors used in the design of solar furnaces. Explain how high
temperature is achieved by this device. (AI 2016)
Answer:
Concave mirrors are used in the designing of solar furnaces.
When a solar furnace is placed at the focus of a large concave mirror, it focuses a parallel
beam of light on the furnace. Therefore, a high temperature is attained at the point after
some time.
7. “The magnification produced by a spherical mirror is -3”. List four information’s you obtain
from this statement about the mirror/ image. (AI 2016)
Answer:
Negative sign of magnification indicates that the image is real and inverted. Since the
image is real and inverted, the mirror is concave and magnification of -3 indicates that the
image is magnified.
8. Draw a ray diagram to show the path of the reflected ray corresponding to an incident ray
which is directed towards the principal focus of a convex mirror. Mark on it the angle of
incidence and the angle of reflection. (Delhi 2014)
Answer:

9. 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 a labelled ray diagram to justify your inferences. (2020)
 Answer:
Given, f = -15 cm, u = -10 cm.
Thus the object is placed between the principal focus and pole of the mirror.
(a) The position of the image will be behind the mirror.
(b) The size of the image will be highly enlarged.
(c) The nature of the image will be virtual and erect.

[Link] the image formed by mirror for all positions of the object placed in front of it is always
virtual and diminished, state the type of the mirror. Draw a ray diagram in support of your
answer. Where are such mirrors commonly used and why? (Foreign 2016, AI 2015)
Answer:
Refer to answer 7.
Convex mirrors are widely used as rear view mirrors in cars, motorcycles etc. It produces an
erect image that is smaller in size than the object hence giving a wide view.
[Link] is the angle of reflection when a ray of light falls normally on a plane mirror?
Answer:
The angle of reflection is 0°.
[Link] type of image is formed:
(i) in a plane mirror, and
(ii) on a cinema screen?
Answer:
(i) Virtual image, and
(ii) real image.
[Link] two different uses of concave mirrors.
Answer:
Concave mirror are used in
 Torches
 Searchlights
 headlights of vehicles, etc.
[Link] the type of mirror which always forms a virtual and diminished image.
Answer:
Convex mirror.
[Link] mirror-convex or concave has a larger field of view?
Answer:
Convex mirror.
[Link] should be the position of the object when a concave mirror is to be used:
(i) as a shaving mirror? and
(ii) as a doctor’s mirror?
Answer:
(i) Between pole P and focus F, and
 (ii) At focus F.
[Link] sign (+ve or-ve) is given to the focal length of:
(a) a concave mirror?
(b) a convex mirror?
Answer:
(a) Focal length of a concave mirror is -ve, and
(b) Focal length of a convex mirror is + ve.
[Link] is the significance of +ve sign of magnification?
Answer:
+ve sign of magnification shows that the image is virtual and erect.
[Link] a plane mirror be called spherical mirror?
Answer:
Yes, a plane mirror can be called a spherical mirror Normal of infinite radius of curvature.
20.A man standing in front of a spherical mirror, finds his image having a very small head, a fat
body and legs of normal size. What type of mirrors are used in these three parts?
Answer:

A very small head: Convex mirror

A fat body: Concave mirror, and
Legs of normal size: Plane mirror.
[Link] angle between an incident ray and the mirror is 40°.
1. What is the angle of incidence?
2. what is the angle of reflection?
3. what is the total angle through which the ray of light turns?
Answer:

1. 50°
2. 50°
3. 100°
22. Why does a convex mirror is said to have a virtual principal focus?
Answer:
In a convex mirror, a parallel beam after reflection do not actually pass through the focus (F)
but it appears to come from the back side of the mirror from focus. So, a convex mirror has
a virtual principal focus, which is situated behind the mirror.
23. What is an optically rarer medium?
Answer:
A medium in which light travels comparatively faster than the other medium is called an
optically rarer medium.
24. What is an optically denser medium?
 Answer:
A medium in which light travels comparatively slower than the other medium is called an
optically denser medium.
25. Define the term refraction of light.
Answer:
The bending of a ray of light falling obliquely on a surface when it passes from one
transparent medium to another is called refraction.
26. Define the term refractive index of a medium in terms of speed of light.
Answer:
Refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of speed of light in vacuum to the
speed of light in the medium. i.e.,

27. What is absolute refractive index?

Answer:
Refractive index of a medium with respect to vacuum is called absolute refractive index.
28. Write down the Snell’s law of refraction.
Answer:
The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a

The is Snell’s law of refraction.

29. Refractive index of two material medium X and Y are 1.3 and 1.5 respectively, In which of
the two, the light would travel faster?
Answer:
In medium ‘X’ because of lower value of refractive index.
30. What is the cause of refraction of light?
Answer:
Refraction of light takes place when it travels from one medium to another because the
speed of light is different in the two media.
31. In which direction a ray of light bends when it goes from water to glass?
Answer:
We know that glass is a denser medium than water. Therefore, a ray of light will bend
towards the normal when it goes from water to glass.
32. If refractive indices of water and alcohol are 1.33 and 1.36 respectively, which of the two is
optically denser medium?
Answer:
The refractive index of alcohol is more than water, therefore, alcohol is optically denser
medium.
33. If a light ray IM is incident on the surface AB as shown, identify the correct emergent ray.

Answer:
Here, NQ is parallel to OS. Therefore, NQ is the correct
emergent ray.
34. Name the point inside a lens such that a ray of light passing
through it goes undeviated.
Answer:
Optical centre.
35. State two examples of phenomenon of refraction of light in
everyday life
Answer:
1. A stick partly immersed in water appears to be bent at the water surface.
2. A pool of water appears less deep than it actually is.
36. What is meant by power of a lens?
Answer:
Power of a lens is the degree of convergence or divergence of light rays achieved by a lens,
P = 1/ f (where f = focal length).
37. Give the SI unit of power of lens. State whether the power of a converging lens is positive or
negative.
Answer:
The SI unit of power of a lens is dioptre.
The power of a converging lens is positive as f is +ve.
38. What is the power of a combination of lenses?
Answer:
If a number of lenses are placed in close contact, then the power of the combination of
lenses is equal to algebraic sum of the powers of the individual lenses.
P = P + P + P + …….
39. State one advantage of using combination of lenses in optical instruments instead of a
single lens.
Answer:
The use of a combination of lenses increases the magnification and sharpness of the
image.
40. Identify the device used (a spherical mirror or lens) in following cases, when the image
formed is virtual Glass and erect in each case.
(a) Object is placed between device and its focus, image formed is enlarged and behind it.
Air (b) Object is placed between the focus and device, image formed is enlarged and on the
same side as that of the object.
(c) Object is placed between infinity and device, image formed is diminished and between
focus and optical centre on the same side as that of the object.
(d) Object is placed between infinity and device, image formed is
diminished and between pole and focus, behind it.

Answer:
(a) Concave mirror
(b) Convex lens
(c) Concave lens
(d) Convex mirror
41. Draw a ray diagram for the image formed by a convex lens when
object is kept at: (i) 2f, (ii) F1, (iii) between F and optical centre, (iv) infinity and (v) beyond 2F
Answer:
(i) When the object is placed at 2F. In this case, the image is formed at 2F on the right hand
side of the lens. The image is real, inverted and equal in size with the object.

(ii) When the object is placed at the focus. In this case, the image is formed at infinity, the
nature of image is real, inverted and very much enlarged in size.
 (iii) When the object is placed between the focus and optical centre of the lens. In this
situation, the image is formed on the same side as object (i.e., on the left hand side of the
lens). The image is virtual, erect and enlarged.

(iv) When the object is placed at infinity. Light rays coming from infinity are always parallel
to each other and thus, after refraction through the lens they would converge at the focus
(principal focus). Therefore, the image of the object is obtained at the focus and it is real,
inverted and highly diminished.

(v) When the object is placed beyond 2F. In this case the image is formed between F and 2F
on the right hand side of the lens. The image is real, inverted and diminished.

42. The image of a candle flame placed at a distance of 30 cm from a mirror is formed on a
screen placed in front of the mirror at a distance of 60 cm from its pole. What is the nature
of the mirror? Find its focal length. If the height of the flame is 2.4 cm, find the height of its
image. State whether the image formed is erect or inverted.
Answer:
The mirror is concave h1 = + 2.4 cm u = – 30 cm υ = -60 cm f = ?
 -ve sign of h, image size) indicates that the image is inverted
43. Find the size, nature and position of image formed when an object of size 1 cm is placed at
a distance of 15 cm from a concave mirror of focal length 10 cm.
Answer:
Object distance, u = -15 cm
Focal length, f = – 10 cm
Object size, h = 1 cm
Image distance, υ = ?
Image size, h’ = ?

(i) Position of image

The image is formed at a distance 30 cm on the side of the object. Negative sign indicates
that object and image are on the same side.
(ii) Nature of image: The image is in front of the mirror, its nature is real and inverted.
(iii) Size of image: From the expression for magnification,

Image size, h’ = -2 cm
The image formed has size 2 cm and negative sign means inverted and real.

44. An object 2 cm high is placed at a distance of 16 cm from a concave mirror which produces
a real image 3 cm high.
(i) Find the position of the image
(ii) What is the focal length of mirror?
Answer:
Object height, h = + 2 cm
Image height, h = -3 cm (real image hence inverted)
Object distance, u = -16 cm
Image distance, υ = ?
 Focal length, f = ?
(i) Position of image
From the expression for magnification

Putting values, we get v = -(-16) × −3 /2

v = -24 cm
The image is formed at distance of 24 cm in front of the mirror (negative sign means object
and image are on the same side).
(ii) Focal length of mirror

45. A 2 cm high object is placed at a distance of 32 cm from a concave mirror. The image is
real, inverted and 3 cm in size. Find the focal length of the mirror and the position where the
image is formed?
Answer:
Given: Object height, ho= 2 cm, Image height, he = -3 cm, Object distance, u = -32 cm

∴ Focal length of concave mirror is 19.2 cm and image is formed 48 cm in front of it.
46. An object 4 cm in height, is placed at 15 cm in front of a concave mirror of focal length 10
cm. At what distance from the mirror should a screen be placed to obtain a sharp image of
the object. Calculate the height of the image.
Answer:
h1 3 + 4 cm f = -10 cm u = -15 cm v = ? h2 = ?

47. A convex mirror with radius of curvature 5 metre is attached with a motor cycle to see the
 objects behind the motorcycle. Describe the position, nature and size of the image, formed
by this mirror of another motorcycle coming from behind at a distance of 5 metre.
Answer:

Image is virtual and has a size of one-third of object.

48. The image of an object is formed on the object itself placed at 36 cm from the pole on the
principal axis of a concave mirror. Calculate the focal length of the mirror and linear
magnification:
Answer:
Given: u = – 36 cm, v = -36 cm, f = ?, m = ?

49. A truck uses a convex mirror as a viewfinder whose radius of curvature is 2.0 m. A maruti
car is coming behind the truck at a distance of 10 m. What will be the position of the image
of the car and size of the image of the car when observed by the driver of the truck through
the convex mirror?
Answer:
For convex mirror, we have given, u = -10 m, R = 2.0 m
 Thus, size of the image of the car will be a fraction of 111 the actual size of the car through
the convex mirror.
50. If the angle of incidence
(i) for a light ray in air be 45° and the angle of refraction (r) in glass be 30°, find refractive
index of glass with respect to air.
Answer:
Refractive index of glass,

51. Refractive index of water with respect to air is 1.33. What is the value of refractive index of
air with respect to water?
Answer:
Here,

52. The absolute refractive indices of glass and water are 3/2 and 4/3 respectively. If the speed
of light in glass is 2 × 108 m/s, calculate the speed of light in (i) vacuum, (ii) water.
 Answer:

8
Speed of light in water Speed of light in water = 2.25 × 10 m/s
53. Refractive index of water with respect to air is 4/3 and glass is 3/2. What is the refractive
index of glass with respect to water?
Answer:
When there are three media air, water and glass,
We have

∴ Refractive index of glass with respect to water is 9/8.

54. Refractive indices of water and benzene with respect to air are 1.33 and 1.50 respectively.
Calculate the refractive index of benzene with respect to water.
Answer:
For air, water and benzene,

55. The absolute refractive indices of two media ‘A’ and ‘B’ are 2.0 and 1.5 respectively. If the
speed of light in medium ‘B’ is 2 × 108 m/s, calculate the speed of light in:
(i) Vacuum
(ii) medium ‘A’.
Answer:
nA = 2.0; nB = 1.5; speed of light in medium B, UB = 2 × 108 m/s

56. An object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a convex lens of focal length 8 cm.
 The distance of the object from the lens is 12 cm. Find the position and nature of the image.
Answer:
u = -12 cm, f = + 8 cm, ν = ?

The image is real and inverted.

57. Calculate the position of an image of an object placed 30 cm away from a concave lens of
focal length 15 cm. Also calculate the magnifying power of the lens.
Answer:
Given: f = -15 cm, u = – 30 cm, ν = ?, m = ?

58. An object 3 cm high is placed 20 cm from convex lens of focal length 12 cm. Find the
nature, position and height of the image.
Answer:
Since lens is convex, therefore f is positive.
Given: u = – 20 cm, f = + 12 cm, h = 3 cm, ν =? h’ = ?
Using lens formula

Since ‘ν’is positive, the image is located on the other side of the lens.

Since m is negative and greater than 1, the image is real, inverted and larger than the object.

Thus the image is 30 cm from the convex lens, located on the other side of the lens. It is
real, inverted and 4.5 cm high.
59. Two thin lenses of focal lengths +10 cm and -5 cm are kept in contact. What is the focal
 length and power of the combination?
Answer:
Here, fi = + 10 cm, f = -5 cm,
∴ Focal length of the combination of lenses is given by

60. An object 5 cm in length is held 25 cm away from a converging lens of focal length 10 cm.
Draw the ray diagram and find the position, size and the nature of the image formed.
Answer:
O = 5 cm, u = -25 cm, f = + 10 cm, I = ?

Image is for 16.66 cm (ray 16.7 cm) from the lens on other side, i.e., behind the lens. Image
is real and inverted.

Image is inverted and a height of 3.33 cm.

61. A doctor has prescribed a corrective lens of power + 1.5 D. Find the focal length of the lens.
 Is the prescribed lens diverging or converging?
Answer:

Focal length of the lens is + 0.67 m. The prescribed lens is converging in nature.
62. A concave lens has focal length 15 cm. If image is formed at a distance 10 cm from the
lens, find the position of object. Calculate the magnification produced by the lens also.
Answer:
Given: f = -15 cm, v = –10 cm, u = ?, m = ?

63. The distance of object from a lens is 15 cm. The virtual image formed four times of the size
of object. Find the distance of image and focal length of lens.
Solution.
Given that: u = -15 cm, m = + 4, ν = ?, f = ?

Hence, image will from 60 cm distance from lens in the object side.
64. The image of an object formed by a convex lens is 3 times of object on screen. If the
positions of object and screen are interchanged, then what will be its magnification in this
condition?
Answer:

On interchanging the positions of object and screen, ν and u are also changed.

65. The focal length of a convex lens is 30 cm and an object is kept at 10 cm from
lens. What will be the distance and nature of image?
Solution.
Given that: f = 30 cm, u = – 10 cm, ν = ?