REFRACTION OF LIGHT

We have seen in our daily life that when a stick is placed in a glass of water, it
appears to be bent at the interface of two media. Similarly twinkling of stars, brilliance
of diamond etc. are based on the phenomenon where the light ray changes its
direction under certain conditions.
When light travels in a homogenous medium it follows straight line path. But as
light passes obliquely from one transparent medium to another it deviates from its
original path. This change in the path of light is called refraction.
“The change in the direction of light when it travels from one
transparent medium to another is called refraction of light”.
An optical medium in which light travels with less speed is called optically
denser medium or denser medium .An optical medium in which light travels with
more speed is called optically rarer medium or rarer medium. Refraction arises
because of the change in the speed of light in going from one medium to another.
The light ray incident on the surface is called incident ray and angle between
incident ray and the normal drawn at the point of incidence is called angle of
incidence (i). The light ray refracted when it changes its medium is called refracted
ray(r). The angle between refracted ray and normal drawn at the point of incidence is
called angle of refraction (Fig.1).
When refraction is taking place from rarer
medium to denser medium the speed of
light will be less. Hence light bends
towards the normal (i>r).
When refraction is taking place from
denser medium to rare medium, the speed
of light will be more. Hence light bends
away from the normal (i<r).
Fig.1
Laws of Refraction:
1. The incident ray, refracted ray and normal drawn at the point of incidence are
lying in the same plane.
2. When Light travels from one medium to another medium the ratio sine of angle
of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction for a given pair of medium remains
constant. This is called Snell’s Law.
sin i
i.e.  a constant
sin r

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 9

Refractive Index (n): According to Snell’s Law
sin i
 a constant
sin r
This constant is called as Refractive Index of the pair of the medium. “It is
defined as the ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction for a
given pair of medium”. It is denoted as 1 n2 or n.
n2 sin i
n 1 n2  n21   =a constant
n1 sin r
[ 1 n2  R.I of medium 2 w.r.t R.I of medium 1.]
Refractive index can also defined as the ratio of velocity of light in medium1 to the
velocity of light in medium 2

v1 c
n 1 n2  If v1  c and v2  v then n
v2 v
where c is the velocity of light in vacuum.
R.I can also be defined as the ratio of wave length of light in medium 1 to the
wave length of light in medium 2.
1
n2 
2
1

Physical Meaning of R.I:The effective opposition offered by the medium for the
propagation of light.
Note:
1. Since R.I is the ratio of two same physical quantities, it has no unit.
2. When light travels from one medium to other velocity and wavelength change but
the frequency of the light remains the same.
c
3. We know that n  c- velocity of light in vacuum. This n is called as absolute
v
refractive index and n  1 . In relative refractive index n  1 i.e. the light is travelling
from denser to rarer medium.
4. The laws of refraction are same whether the refracting surface is plane or curved.

The R I of some material media w.r.t vacuum or air:

Material Material
RI R .I
Medium Medium
1 Benzene 1.5
Vacuum

Air na=1.00028 Glass ng=1.5

Water nw=1.3333 Dense flint glass 1.65

Kerosene
1.4 Diamond 2.42

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 10

Refraction through Spherical Surfaces:
Lens: A lens is an optical transparent medium having at least one surface which is
curved.
1. Convex lens 2. Concave lens
Convex lens: It is a type of lens having both surfaces bulged outwards. It is thicker at
the middle and thinner at the edges (Fig. 2).
Concave lens: It is a type of lens having both surface bulged inwards. It is thicker at
the edges and thinner at the middle (Fig. 3).

Convex lens Concave lens

Fig.2 Fig.3

Note:
1. There are Plano-convex, Plano-concave, concavo-convex and convexo-concave
lenses also.
2. Usually convex lens is called converging lens and concave lens is called diverging
lens.
3. Lens is made up of two spherical surfaces, hence there are two centres of curvature
and two radii of curvature C1 ,C2 and R1,R2 respectively.
Optic Centre (O): The midpoint of the lens through which a light ray passes will not get
deviated is called optic centre. It is denoted as O (Fig.4) and (Fig.5).
All other definitions remain same as that of mirror.

Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Note: All the distances are measured from the optic centre of the lens and other sign
conventions are remain same as that of mirror.

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 11

Lens formula:The relation between the focal length (f) object distance (u) and image
distance (v) is given by the formula
1 1 1 1 1 1 uv
  or   or f 
f u v f v u uv
Note:
1. As the object distance increases image distance decreases, so that focal length
remains constant. As u↑ v↓or vice-versa.
2. This formula holds good for both concave and convex lenses.
Magnification (m): The ratio of height of the image to the height of the object.

h| height of the image

m 
h height of the object
v
If u is the object distance and v is the image distance then m 
u

Magnification Nature of Image

m<0 real and inverted
m>0 virtual and erect

m 1 Enlarged

m 1 Diminished

m 1 Unit magnification

Formation of image by lenses using ray diagrams:

It is very easy to find the position, size and nature of the image formed by lenses.
Formation of image takes place as follows.
1. Ray 1 parallel to the principal axis, passes through ( or appear to have come from )F
(Fig.6) and (Fig.7).

Fig. 6 Fig. 7

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 12

 2. Ray 2 through the optic centre O of the lens passes without any deviation
(Fig.8)and (Fig.9).

Fig. 9
Fig. 8
3. Ray 3 through (or heading towards) F emerges parallel to the principal axis
(Fig.10).

Fig. 10
Formation of image for convex lens:
The position, size and nature of the image produced depend upon the position of the
object. As the object distance increases image distance decreases.
1. Object at  :
When the object is placed at infinity the parallel rays of light incident on the lenses
get refracted and are converged on principal axis at F. The image is real, inverted and
highly diminished (point size) (Fig.11).

Fig. 11

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 13

 2. Beyond 2F:
When the object is placed beyond 2F the image is formed between F and 2F. The image
is real, inverted and diminished (Fig.12).

Fig. 12
3. At 2F:
When the object is placed at 2F the image will also be formed at 2F only. The image is
real, inverted and having unit magnification (m=1) (Fig.13).

Fig. 13
4. Between F and 2 F:

When the object is placed between F and 2F the image is formed beyond 2F. The image
is real, inverted and enlarged (Fig.14).

Fig. 14

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 14

 5. At F:
When the object is placed at F the image is formed at ∞. The image is real, inverted and
highly magnified (Fig.15).

Fig.15
6. Between O and F:
A special case is observed when the object is placed between O and F, the image is
formed behind the object and the image is virtual, erect and enlarged. This is the
principle used in magnifying lens (Fig.16).

Fig. 16

Position of the Position of

Nature of the image
object the image
Real, inverted and highly diminished
At ∞ At F
(point size)
Beyond 2F B/w F and 2F Real, inverted and diminished

At 2F At 2 F Real, inverted and unit magnification

B/w F and 2f Beyond 2 F Real, inverted and magnified

At F At ∞ Real, inverted and highly magnified

B/w F & O Behind object Virtual, erect and magnified

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 15

Formation of image for a concave lens:
1. Object at  :
When the object is placed at ∞ , the image is formed at F. The image is virtual,
erect and highly diminished (Point Size) (Fig.17).

Fig. 17

2. Between  and Optic Centre O:

When the object is placed between∞ and O irrespective of the position of the object, the
image is formed between O & F. The image is always virtual erect and diminished
(Fig.18).

Fig. 18

Position of the Position of the

Nature of the image
object image

Virtual erect and highly diminished

At ∞ At F
( Point size)

B/w ∞& O B/w O& F Virtual erect and diminished

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 16

Power of the lens (P):
The ability of the lens to diverge or converge the incident beam of light is called
power of the lens. It is denoted as P. Power of the lens is measured as the reciprocal of
the focal length. Its SI unit is dioptre (D).

1
P [I D =I Dioptre= 1 m-1]
f

The power of a lens is said to be 1D if its focal length is 1m.

Note: For a convex lens focal length is +ve and hence power is also +ve.
Ex:- If f= +2 m then P=+0.5D , If f=+ 0.5m then P=+2 D etc.
For a concave lens focal length is –ve and hence the power is also –ve.
Ex:- If f=-1.33 m then P=-0.75 D, If f= -4m then P=-0.25D etc.

Uses of lenses:

1. Convex lens is used

a. In microscopes to get enlarged image.
b. In binoculars cameras and telescopes.
c. To correct hypemetropia or Long sightedness.
2. Concave lenses is used
a. To correctmyopiaor short sightedness.
b. In peepholes to view the people outside the door.
c. In Flash lights.

**********

Vivek Prasad V B Dept. Of Physics Sri Sai Angels PU College Chikmagalur 17