8. LIGHT
8. LIGHT
SOURCES OF LIGHT
i) Luminous Bodies
The bodies which emit light by themselves are called luminous bodies.
Ex: The sun, the stars, burning candle, glowing electric bulb etc.
ii) Non-Luminous Bodies
The bodies which do not give light energy on their own but reflect light energy falling on them
are called non – luminous bodies.
Ex: Planets, Moon, Rocks, Mirror, etc.
Terms related to the Light
a) Optical Medium
Anything (material or non-material), through which light energy passes wholly or partially, is
called optical medium
Ex: Vacuum, air, most of the gases, water, glass, plastics, etc.
b) Homogeneous Medium
An optical medium which has uniform composition throughout is called homogeneous
medium.
Ex: Vacuum, distilled water, pure alcohol, glass, plastics, diamond etc.
c) Heterogeneous Medium
An optical medium, which has different composition at different points is called heterogeneous
medium.
Ex: Air, muddy water, fog, mist etc.
d) Transparent Medium
A medium which allows most of the light energy to pass through it is called transparent medium.
Ex: Glass
e) Translucent Medium
A medium which partially allows the light energy to pass through it is called translucent
medium. In such a medium, we cannot see through clearly.
Ex: Butter paper, oiled paper, tissue paper, grounded glass
f) Opaque Bodies
Those bodies which do not allow the light energy to pass through them are called opaque bodies.
We cannot see through opaque bodies. These bodies can either absorb light energy or reflect it.
Ex: Bricks, wood, stones, metals etc.
g) Point source of light
A source of light which is of the size of pin head is called point source of light.
h) Extended source of Light
Any source of light, which is bigger than point source of light is called extended source of light.
Ex: A bulb, a tube light, a burning candle, etc.
i) Ray of Light
The path along which light energy travels in a given direction is called ray of light. A ray of light
is represented as a straight line. The arrowhead on it gives the direction of light.
j) Beam of Light
A collection of number of rays of light is called beam of light. Sometimes, if the number of rays
is
too small then such a collection of rays is called pencil of light.
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k) Parallel Rays
When the rays of light travel parallel to each other, then the collection of such rays is called
parallel rays.
Ex: Sun rays entering into a room through a ventilator constitute a parallel beam of light.
l) Divergent Beam
When the rays of light originating from a point, travel in various directions, then the
collection of such rays is called divergent beam.
Ex: Rays originating from a point source of light constitute divergent beam.
m) Convergent Beam
When the rays of light coming from different directions, meet at a point, then the collection of
such rays is called convergent beam.
General Terms
1. Mirror
Any smooth polished surface which can turn rays of light into the same medium is called the
mirror.
2. Incident Ray
A ray of light which travels from an optical medium towards the mirror is called the
incident rays.
3. Reflected Ray
A ray of light which bounces off the mirror surface, into the same optical medium in which
incident ray was travelling, is called the reflected ray.
4. Normal
A light perpendicular to the surface of mirror.
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5. Point of incidence
The point on the mirror surface, where incident ray strikes surface of mirror is called point of
incidence.
6. Angle of incidence
The angle made by the incident ray with the normal at the point of incidence is called the angle
of incidence.
7. Angle of reflection
The angle which the reflected ray makes with normal is called angle of reflection.
8. Glancing angle of incidence
The angle between incident ray and mirror is called as glancing angle of incidence.
9. Glancing angle of reflection
The angle between reflected ray and mirror called glancing angle of reflection.
10. Rectilinear propagation of light
Light travels in straight line. It is called rectilinear propagation of Light. The formation of
shadows (eclipses) is due to rectilinear propagation of Light.
11. Principle of reversibility
If a light ray is reversed. It always retraces its path. It is called the Principle of
Reversibility. So that the object and image positions are interchangeable. So they are
conjugate points.
REFLECTION OF LIGHT
The phenomenon due to which a ray of light travelling from one optical medium to another optical
medium, a part of the incident light is thrown back into the original medium. This phenomenon is called
reflection of light.
or
Reflection of light is the phenomenon of bouncing back of light in the same medium on striking the
surface of any object.
Reflection is of two types
1. Regular Reflection 2. Irregular Reflecting or diffused reflection
Regular reflection
When the reflecting surface is smooth and well-polished, the parallel rays falling on it are reflected
parallel to one another, as shown in figure, i.e., the reflected light goes in one particular direction. This is
regular reflection. The smooth and well-polished surface is called a mirror, Silver metal is one of the
best reflectors of light.
Irregular reflection
When the reflecting surface is rough, the parallel rays falling on it are reflected in different directions, as
shown in figure, such a reflection is known as diffused reflection or irregular reflection.
LAWS OF REFLECTION
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Consider a reflecting surface (say a plane mirror) . Let a ray of light AB falls on the surface at B which
comes back along BC. The ray of light AB is known as incident ray and the ray BC is known as
reflected ray.
ii) The incidence ray, reflected ray and normal to the reflecting surface at the point of
incidence are coplanar
Note
Non luminous bodies are visible only when the light reflected from them reaches our eye.
Laws of reflection are same whether the reflecting surface is plane or curved. Reflection of light from
the curved surfaces is shown in figure given below:
ANGLE OF DEVIATION
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It is the angle between incident ray and deviated ray. In case of reflection it is the angle between
incident ray and reflected ray.
If a ray undergoes reflection two or more than two times and etc. are the deviations suffered by the ray,
then the total deviation of the ray is.
Here …. etc., to be substituted with proper sign i.e., if we take +ve sign for clockwise deviation then we
should take –ve sign for anticlockwise deviation.
Image Shadow
If is formed by intersection of reflected Shadow is formed when light does
a) a)
rays not reach behind the object
Image in seen when reflected rays
b) b) No light enters the observers eye
approach to observers eyes
Image gives more information such Shadow does not provide such as
c) c)
colour, structure etc. information
d) Image can be straight or inverted d) Shadow is never inverted
Plane mirror
A smooth highly polished reflecting surface is known as Plane Mirror.
Characteristics of the image formed by a plane mirror
The image formed by a plane mirror is virtual.
The image formed by a plane mirror is erect.
The image formed by a plane mirror is of the same size as that of an object.
The image formed by a plane mirror is at the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front of
it.
The image is laterally inverted i.e. The Right side of the object appears as the left side of the image and
vice versa.
LATERAL INVERSION
The phenomenon of left appearing right and right appearing left on reflection in a plane mirror is called
the lateral inversion
vii) The right side of the object is transformed into left side of the image.
Note
Image of the clock in the plane mirror and times shown in the clock and its image.
LIGHT 183
Sum of the clock time and its image time will be equal to 12 hours
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A) B) C) D)
19. Among the following pickup the correct statement when a light ray enters from one medium to another
A) Some portion of light is absorbed by interface of two media
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B) Some portion of light turns back into first medium in a definite direction
C) Some portion of light transmits to second medium if second medium is transparent.
D) Total amount of light is conserved
20. Coming back of light into same medium from a boundary separating two media is called
A) Rectilinear propagation B) Reflection
C) Refraction D) Transmission
21. When light incident on a polished surface _____________ reflection takes place
A) Regular B) Irregular C) Diffused D) Normal
22. An object becomes invisible when it under goes ___________ reflection
A) Regular B) Irregular C) Diffused D) Normal
23. According to the loss of reflection
A) B) C) D)
24. The image formed by a plane mirror is always _____________
A) Real and erect B) Virtual and erect C) Real and inverted D) Virtual and inverter
25. What is the angle between the incident and reflected rays when a ray of light is incident normally on a
plane mirror?
A) B) C) D) 0
26. Name the type of image that can be obtain on a screen
A) Virtual B) Real C) Diverging D) Converging
27. A ray of light is incident on a plane mirror and the angle of incidence is . What is the angle of
reflection?
A) 0 B) C) D)
28. A ray of light is incident on a plane mirror and angle of reflection is . Calculate the angle between
the incident ray and the reflected ray
A) B) C) D)
29. Which of the following is used to make a periscope?
A) Concave mirror B) Convex mirror C) Plane mirror D) Lens
30. Butter paper is an example for ________________ object
A) A transparent B) A translucent C) An opaque D) A luminous
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1. An image formed by a ___________ mirror is always of the same size as that of the object
A) Concave mirror B) Convex mirror C) Plane mirror D) Lens
2. An image which cannot be obtained on a screen is called
A) Virtual B) Real C) Diverging D) Converging
3. Which type of a surface can act as mirror?
A) Polished surface B) Rough surface C) Diffused surface D) None
4. During sunny day, a pool of water appears to lie on the road some distance ahead.
What type of image do we see?
A) Real B) Virtual C) Laterally inverted D) Erect
5. Change in direction of light from an object is called
A) Reflection of light B) Refraction of light C) Interference D) Rectilinear propagation of light
6. Which property of light helps in formation of shadows?
A) Reflection B) Refraction C) Radiation D) Rectilinear propagation of light
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a) Ray of light P)
KEY
1) A 2) C 3) B 4) D 5) C 6) C 7) A
8) B 9) C 10) D 11) C 12) B 13) D 14) B
15) A 16) D 17) C 18) A 19) B 20) A 21) A
22) A 23) A 24) B 25) D 26) B 27) D 28) D
29) C 30) B
1) C 2) A 3) A 4) B 5) A 6) D 7) A
8) B 9) B 10) A 11) AB 12) D 13) A 14) A
15) B 16) A 17) ABC 18) C 19) a - S; b - P; c - Q; d - R
20) a-P; b-QRS; c-R; d-S
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