Chapter - 1

LIGHT

WHAT IS LIGHT?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation within a certain range of wavelengths
which can be detected by the human eye. Or, it is electromagnetic radiation within a portion
of the electromagnetic spectrum. The study of light, called optics, is an important research
area in modern physics. In physics, the term light typically refers to electromagnetic radiation
of any wavelength, whether visible to the human eye or not. However, what we are going
to study is about visible light. Like humans, animals can also see light. Light is a form of
energy which is utilized by both plants and animals. Plants (Green Plants) use light energy to
synthesize food by a process called photosynthesis, which you will study in detail in Chapter
Life processes. Some species of plants and animals emit light on their own, the phenomenon
is called bioluminescence.

Figure 1.1

SOURCES OF LIGHT
As we all know that the sun is a major source of light. Similarly, there are numerous
natural as well as artificial sources of energy in this universe. Sun is one of the natural
sources of light. Like sun every other star produces light, but, since other stars are farther
from earth the amount of light reaching the surface of the earth is very little. As mentioned
earlier some organisms have the ability to produce their own light. The phenomenon is
called bioluminescence and is formed due to some chemical reaction happening inside the
organism.

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 Artificial sources of light include Electric bulbs, candles, etc. lights are produced
artificially by the principle of conversion of energy. Most of the artificial lights are created
either by conversion of electric energy to light energy or conversion of heat energy to light
energy. Some major sources of light are tabulated in table 1.1

Table 1.1
Source Type of Source
Sun Natural Thermal
Stars Natural Thermal
Chemical reactions
Dinoflagellates Natural (Bioluminescence)
(Chemiluminescence)
Chemical reactions
Firefly Natural (Bioluminescence)
(Chemiluminescence)
Electric energy to light
Tungsten Bulb Artificial
energy.
Electric energy to light
Light Emitting Diode (LED) Artificial
energy.

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT
1. Rectilinear Propagation of light – Light propagates in straight line (Path of light
changes only when medium changes – Reflection and Refraction)
2. It is an Electromagnetic wave.
3. Speed of light in vacuum about 299792458 ms-1 or approximately 300000 km per
second!
4. Speed of light waves depends upon the properties of the medium through which it
passes.
5. Light exhibits different behavior like reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction,
polarization etc.

Example
Light is a form of:
A) Matter
B) Fluid
C) Energy
D) None
Ans: C) Light is a form of energy.

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RAY AND BEAM
As discussed, one of the important characteristics of light is that it travels in a straight
line. This property can be used in optics to model the propagation of light through an optical
system. Rays are used as an idealized model of light in optics. A small bundle of these rays
is called pencil of rays and large bundles of these rays is called a beam of light. A bundle of
rays in which rays are parallel to one another is called parallel beam of light.

Figure 1.2

REFLECTION OF LIGHT
Reflection is the change in direction of a wave at a boundary between two different
media, which causes the wave to move back into the medium it came from. Figure rep-
resents reflection of a beam of light at the interface of two mediums

Figure 1.3

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LAWS OF REFLECTION
The law of reflection governs the reflection of light-rays off smooth and polished
surfaces such as polished metal or metal-coated glass mirrors.
Consider a light-ray incident on a plane surface, as shown in Figure
Laws of reflection of light is as follows:
A) The angle of incidence is always equal to the angle of reflection.
θi = θr
B) The incident ray, the normal, and the reflected ray all lie in the same plane

Figure 1.4

Example
The amount of light reflected depends upon:
A) The nature of material of the object
B) The nature of the surface
C) The smoothness of the surface
D) All of the above
Ans: D) The amount of light reflected depends on all the given factors.

REGULAR AND DIFFUSED REFLECTION

When a parallel beam of light rays is incident on a smooth and plane surface, the re-
flected rays will also be parallel. This type of reflection is called Specular Reflection (etymol-
ogy speculum(Latin: mirror). Specular reflection is also called as regular reflection or mirror
reflection. In specular reflection the reflected lights will also travel in well defined paths,
without scattering. In specular reflection for each incident ray we will have a single reflected
ray.

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 Figure 1.5
When a beam of parallel light-rays incident on a surface is scattered by the reflecting
surface in all directions. This process of scattering is called "Irregular or Diffuse Reflection".

Figure 1.6

REFLECTION AT A PLANE MIRROR

A plane mirror is a mirror with a planar reflective surface, which is highly polished on
one surface and silvered on the other surface. The images formed by plane mirrors are the
most common examples of images formed by reflection

Figure 1.7

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Characteristics Of Image Formed By Plane Mirror
1. Image formed by reflection is virtual i.e. image cannot be projected or focused
on a screen
2. The virtual image is formed behind the mirror at a distance equal to the distance
of the object in front of the mirror
3. The size of the image formed is the same as the size of the object
4. The image formed Is laterally inverted. i.e. the image is inverted with respect to
vertical axis (sideways) e.g. left hand becomes identical to right hand
Quiz
Why the word “AMBULANCE” is written as shown in figure on front side of
ambulances?

5. Altitude/orientation is always upright.

Figure 1.8

Example
Which of the following correctly describes the image produced by a
plane mirror?
A) The image is real and upright.
B) The image will move twice as fast towards the plane of the mirror as
the object moves.

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 C) The image is the same size as the object with no lateral inver
sion.
D) The image undergoes vertical inversion.
Ans: B)

Example
Two vertical plane mirrors are inclined at an angle of 600 with each
other. A ray of light travelling horizontally is reflected first from one
mirror and then from the other. The resultant deviation is
A) 600 B) 1200
C) 1800 D) 2400
Ans: D)δ = (360 - 2θ) = (360 - 2 x 60) = 2400

REFLECTION AT SPHERICAL MIRRORS

A highly polished curved surface whose reflecting surface is a cut part of a hollow
sphere of a glass or any polished metal is called spherical mirror.
They are of two types: -
CONCAVE MIRROR
A concave mirror is a mirror with reflecting surface formed by polished surface curved
inwards. As the concave reflecting surface deflect parallel beam towards a common focus
point It is also called as a converging mirror. Concave mirror reflects and converges parallel
beam of light towards a point as shown in Figure.1.9
CONVEX MIRROR
Convex mirror has reflecting surface bulging outwards. Convex mirrors are called as
divergent or fish eye mirror. Unlike concave mirrors convex mirrors reflect light outwards as
shown in Figure. The images formed by convex mirror is smaller than the object, but gets
larger as the object approaches the mirror. That’s why convex mirrors are used on rear view
mirrors of cars.

Example
The field of view is maximum for
A) Plane mirror B) Concave mirror
C) Convex mirror C) Cylindrical mirror
Ans: C)

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 Figure 1.9

TERMS RELATED TO SPHERICAL MIRRORS

1. Center of Curvature (c)
We know that spherical mirrors are sliced from spherical surfaces. The center of the
spherical surface from which the mirror is cut is known as center of curvature. Center
of curvature of a mirror is denoted by the letter ‘C’
2. Radius of Curvature (r)
Radius of curvature is the radius of the spherical surface from which the mirror is sliced.
It is denoted by the letter ‘r’
3. Pole (p)
Pole is the midpoint of the spherical mirror and is denoted by the letter ‘P’
4. Principal axis
It’s an imaginary axis/line passing through the center of curvature of the mirror and
exact center of the mirror.
5. Aperture
An aperture of a mirror is the portion from which the reflection of light actually happens.
It also gives the size of the mirror.

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 6. Principal Focus
Principal Focus, also be called as Focal Point is the point on the principal axis of a
mirror where parallel beam of light to the axis converge or appear to converge after
reflection. Focus is denoted by the letter, ‘F’
7. Focal Length
Focal length is the distance between the spherical mirror and the focus of the mirror.

Figure 1.10

RULES FOR DRAWING RAY DIAGRAM FOR MIRRORS

• Any ray passing parallel to the principal axis will pass through the focus after
reflection and vice versa. (Figure 1.11 represents the path of a ray of light after
reflection and Figure 1.12 represents the path of ray of light passing through the
focus after reflection)
• Ray passing through the center of curvature will retrace the same path after
reflection.
• Ray incident on the pole of the spherical mirror will reflect at an angle equal to the
angle of incidence. (As represented in Figure 1.13)

Figure 1.11

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 Figure 1.12

Figure 1.13

Example
Which of the following statements correctly identifies a rule for drawing
ray diagrams with mirrors?
A) A ray incident along the radius vector is reflected back on itself.
B) A light ray parallel to the principal axis of the mirror is reflected
so that it appears to come from a radius of curvature.
C) A ray that strikes the mirror at its center at the Brewster angle
is reflected symmetrically backwards by the same angle below
the axis.
D) A light ray pointed directly at the focal point is reflected such
that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
Ans: A)

IMAGE FORMATION BY SPHERICAL MIRRORS

Concave mirror
Image formation depends upon the position of the object. The nature of image for
different positions of objects are tabulated in Table No 1.2

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 Figure 1.14

Table 1.2

Object position Image position Nature of image

At infinity At F Highly diminished, real and inverted
Beyond C Between C and F Diminished, real and inverted
At C At C Same size, real and inverted
Between C and F Beyond C Enlarged, real and inverted
At F Infinity No image formed
Between F and pole Behind the mirror Enlarged, virtual and erect

Convex mirror
Image formation depends upon the position of the object. The nature of image for
different positions of objects are tabulated in Table No.

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