Class 10 Science - Chapter 10:
Light - Reflection and Refraction (Notes)
Topics in the Chapter
• Introduction
• Properties of Light
• Reflection (Part I)
→ Laws of Reflection
→ Virtual and Real image
• Image formed by Plane mirror
→ Characteristics of image formed by Plane mirror
→ Lateral inversion and its application
• Spherical Mirrors
→ Properties of Concave mirror
→ Properties of Convex mirror
→ Common terms for Spherical mirrors
• Rules for making ray diagrams by spherical mirrors
• Ray diagrams for images formed by concave mirror
• Uses of Concave mirror
• Ray diagrams of images formed by convex mirror
• Uses of convex mirror
• Sign convention for reflection by spherical mirror
• Mirror Formula
→ Magnification of Spherical mirrors
• Refraction (Part II)
• Laws of Refraction
→ Snell's law
→ Refractive index
→ Absolute refractive index
→ Optically denser medium
→ Optically rarer medium
→ Spherical lens
• Rules for image formation by convex lens
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• Ray diagram of image formed by Convex lens
• Rules for image formation by concave lens
• Ray diagrams of images formed by a concave lens
• Sign convention for spherical lens
→ Lens Formula
→ Magnification
• Power of a lens
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Introduction
• Light is a form of energy that enables us to see objects.
• It travels in a straight line and at a very high speed
(approximately 3 × 10 8 m/s in vacuum).
•Some common phenomena associated with lights are image
formation by mirrors, the twinkling of stars, the beautiful
colours of a rainbow, bending of light by a medium and so on.
Properties of Light
→ Electromagnetic wave, so does not require any medium to travel.
→ Light tends to travel in straight line.
→ Light has dual nature i.e. wave as well as particle.
→ Light casts shadow.
→ Speed of light is maximum in vaccum. Its value is 3 × 108 ms-1.
→ When light falls on a surface, following may happen:
(i) Reflection
(ii) Refraction
(iii) Absorption
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Reflection
→ Bouncing back of light when it strikes on a polished surface like
mirror.
Laws of Reflection
(i) Angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. (i = r)
(ii) The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal at the point of
incidence, all lie in the same plane.
Note :
Image is a point where atleast two light rays actually meet or appear
to meet.
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Reflection of Light : Important Terms
• Reflection: Bouncing back of light after striking a polished
surface.
• Incident Ray: The ray of light falling on the surface.
• Reflected Ray: The ray of light that bounces back.
• Normal: An imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the
point of incidence.
• Angle of Incidence (i): The angle between the incident ray and
the normal.
• Angle of Reflection (r): The angle between the reflected ray and
the normal.
(See the figure given in the previous page)
Image Formed by Plane Mirror
Characteristics of Image formed by Plane Mirror
(i) Virtual and erect.
(ii) Size of image is equal to the size of object.
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(iii) Image is formed as far behind the mirror as the object is in front
of it.
(iv) Laterally inverted.
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.
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Spherical Mirrors
→ Mirrors whose reflecting surface is curved.
(Mirrors that are part of a sphere.)
→ There are two types of spherical mirrors:
1. Concave Mirror: Inner surface is reflecting.
2. Convex Mirror: Outer surface is reflecting.
Important Terms for Spherical Mirrors
Center of Curvature (C): Center of the sphere from which the mirror
is made.
Radius of Curvature (R): Radius of the sphere.
Pole (P): Center of the mirror's surface.
Principal Axis: Straight line passing through C and P.
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Focus (F): Point where parallel rays after reflection meet (concave) or
appear to diverge (convex).
Focal Length (f): Distance between P and F.
f = R/2.
Properties of Concave mirror Properties of Convex mirror
• Reflecting surface is curved • Reflecting surface is curved
inwards. outwards.
• Converging mirror • Diverging mirror
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Ray Diagrams for Concave Mirror
Rules for drawing:
1. A ray parallel to the principal axis passes through the
focus.
2. A ray passing through focus becomes parallel after
reflection.
3. A ray passing through center of curvature reflects back
along its own path.
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Uses of Concave Mirrors
• Reflectors in headlights.
• Shaving mirrors.
• Dentists’ mirrors.
• Solar Furnace
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Image Formation by a Convex Mirror
Rules for Ray Diagrams:
• A ray parallel to the principal axis appears to diverge from
the focus (F) after reflection.
• A ray directed towards the center of curvature (C) reflects
back along the same path.
Note : Always forms a virtual, erect, and diminished image behind
the mirror.
Uses of Convex Mirrors
• Rearview mirrors of vehicles.
• Surveillance in shops.
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Sign conventions:
• All distances are measured from the pole (P).
• Distances in the direction of incident light are positive.
• Distances against the direction of incident light are negative.
Magnification : It is the ratio of the height of image to the height of
object.
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🔸 Sign Convention for magnification:
• Height (h):
o Positive for erect image.
o Negative for inverted image.
o u & v as same mentioned above
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Refraction of Light
Definition
• Bending of light when it passes from one medium to another.
Cause
• Change in speed of light in different media.
Some examples of refraction
→ The bottom of swimming pool appears higher.
→ A pencil partially immersed in water appears to be bent at the
interface of water and air.
Important Terms
• Incident Ray: Ray striking the surface.
• Refracted Ray: Ray that bends after entering the second
medium.
• Normal: Perpendicular line at the point of incidence.
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Refraction through a rectangular glass slab
→ The extent of bending of ray of light at the opposite parallel faces
of rectangular glass slab is equal and opposite, so the ray emerges
parallel to incident ray.
Lateral displacement (d) is the sideways shift or horizontal
displacement of a light ray when it passes through a transparent
rectangular medium (like a glass slab).
• Lateral displacement depends on :
→ Refractive index of glass slab
→ Angle of incidence
→ Thickness of the glass slab
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Laws of Refraction
1. Incident ray, refracted ray, and normal all lie in the same plane.
2. Ratio of sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of
refraction is constant (Snell’s Law):
Refractive Index is a measure of how much the speed of light is
reduced inside a medium compared to its speed in vacuum (or air).
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Important Terms
• Optical Center: Center of the lens.
• Principal Axis: Line passing through optical center.
• Principal Focus (F): Point where light rays parallel to principal
axis converge or appear to diverge.
• Focal Length (f): Distance between optical center and focus.
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Image Formation by Concave Lens
• Image formation by Concave lens
Always:
o Virtual
o Erect
o Diminished
o Formed between optical center and focus (Same side)
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Note :
Power is
• Positive for convex lens.
• Negative for concave lens.
