CHAPTER 8
LIGHT: SHADOWS AND REFLECTION
Learning objectives
To recognise the sources of light
Describe how an object can be seen.
Identify different reflecting surfaces.
To understand reflection of light through a plane mirror.
Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line.
To investigate if different materials allow light to pass through
them and communicate findings.
Explain shadow and eclipse formation.
Science words
Luminous
Reflection
Shadow
Refraction
Convex mirror
Concave mirror
Convergent beam
Divergent beam
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1: Name the two kinds of curved mirrors and give examples of their
uses?
Ans: (i) concave mirror
The mirrors are us ed by dentists, in solar cookers and in
car headlights.
(ii) Convex mirrors
The mirrors are used in shops, at blind corners of road and
in rear view mirrors of vehicles.
Q2: compare the characteristics of the image formed by a plane
mirror. A convex mirror and a concave mirror?
Ans:
Sl TYPES OF MIRRORS NATURE OF IMAGE SIZE OF IMAGE
no
1 Plane mirror Virtual and Erect Same size as the
(Upright) object
2 Concave mirror Real only when the Image can be
object is very close to diminished, is of the
the mirror same size or enlarged
Inverted – when real , depending on the
and upright –when position of the object
virtual with respect to
mirror.
3 Convex mirror Virtual and erect Diminished
Q3: what happens when light falls on an object?
Ans: when the light falls on an opaque object, the path of light ray is
blocked from a dark area are called shadow.
Even translucent objects form shadows, but these shadows are not as
dark.
Transparent objects do not cast any shadow because light rays pass
through transparent objects.
Q4: look at the given diagram. what does it depicts?
Ans: Light pass through the prism, the white light is separated into its
component colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The
separation of visible light into its different colors is known as
dispersion
Q5: Rahul saw his face using a stainless steel spoon. He
observed a distorted images as shown in the given picture.
Explain the reason
Ans: Because spoon gives real and inverted image as it works as an
concave mirror
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1: Observe the given pictures of the reflection of moon on
the surface of water and answer the following question
a) How do these two images look different?
b) Explain the phenomena involved in the image formation of
moon on the given situations.
c) draw the ray diagram for these two situations?
Ans: (a) The smoothness of surfaces are different in both the cases
(b) When the parallel beam of light strikes on a smooth surface
it is reflected as parallel beam. This is called regular reflection.in
regular reflection a very clear and sharp image is formed.
In Rough surfaces, the reflect light in all directions. This is because
light rays are reflected off the rough surface at different angles. This is
called diffused or irregular reflection. In the diffused reflection, a
sharp and clear image is not formed.
(c)
Q2: Draw a well-labelled ray diagram to explain the reflection
of light through plane mirror. Explain the features of the
image thus formed.
Ans:
The image formed by a plane mirror is always, upright, and
laterally reversed. The image distance is equal to the object distance,
and the size of the image is the same as the size of the object.
Q3: Annu saw the shadow of her teddy in torchlight. She was
surprised to see the shadows of different sizes of the same
teddy. Observe the given pictures and help her to find the
answers to her questions.
(a) How are shadows formed?
(b) Why does the shadow of the same teddy differ in size?
(c) Name the factors on which the shape and size of the
shadow depends?
Ans: (a) When light falls on an opaque object, the path of light rays is
blocked to form a dark are called shadow.
(b) It also depends on the size of the object and the size of the source
of light
(c) The shape and size of the shadow will form smaller as the distance
increases between the object and source of light.
HOTS
Q1: In a heavy rainfall, when thunder and lightning occur, we see light
first and hear sound later. Why?
Ans: This is because light travels faster than sound. To be exact, it
travels 882,353 times faster! So even though lightning and thunder
happen at roughly the same time, you don't hear thunder until much
later than you've seen the lightning.
