MOI FORCES ACADEMY-NRB

FORM TWO TERM 3 NOV-DEC HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENT

SUBJECT: PHYSICS DISCOVERY QUESTIONS ON REFRACTION OF LIGHT
NAME:…EUGENE OGORO……….CLASS:…3East….ADM.NO:……11176…….
1. Define the term refraction of light. (1mk)

2. Distinguish between reflection and refraction of light (1 mk)

3. State SNELL’S LAW

4. State the two laws of refraction of light(2mk)

5. Define refractive index of a substance. (1 mk)

6. Fig below shows two rays of light incident on a water-glass surface.

Water
Speaker

Complete the rays to show their paths from the glass to water. (2mks)

7. The refractive indices of water and glass are 4/3 and 3/2 respectively. Determine the refractive index of a
ray of light moving from water to glass. (3mks)

8. Light is incident on an air-glass boundary at an angle of incidence of 400. If the refractive index of the
glass is 1.7, determine the angle of refraction. (3mk)

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 1
9. Fig (i) and (ii) show refraction of light at air-water interface. Determine angle Ø in figure (ii)

420 Ø
Air Air

Water Water
250
300

(i) (ii)

10. A ray of light is incident on a glass oil interface as shown in figure below. Determine the value of r (Take
refractive index of glass and oil as 3/2 and 6/3 respectively)3mk

300 Oil

Glass
r

11. The figure below shows a ray of light traveling through water, whose refractive index is 1.33 and glass.

Water 600

Glass 660

Determine the refractive index of glass. (3mks)

12. A ray of light makes a glancing angle of incidence i = 60o with a flat glass surface as shown in figure
i
Air

Glass
r

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 2
 Given that the critical angle for glass is 42o determine;
(i) The refractive index of glass
(ii)
(iii) (2mks)
(ii) The angle of refraction r

(2mks)
(iii) Given that the speed of light in air 3.0 x 108 m/s, find the speed of light in glass
(2mks)

13. A ray of light traveling in the direction EO in air enters a rectangular block as shown. The resulting angle
of refraction is 180.
0

A 600
B

180

C D
Find:-
(i) The refractive index of the block.

(2mks)
(ii) The critical angle C of the block.

(3mks)

14. A ray of light travels from air into medium 1 and 2 as shown.
N1
400
AIR

Medium 1 N2
240

Medium 2 260
N3

Calculate;
i) The refractive index of medium 1.
F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 3
 ii) Critical angle of medium 1
iii) The refractive index of medium 2 relative to medium 1 (1n2)

15. For three media with parallel boundaries as shown in figure below, show that
n = 2n1 x 1n3
2 3 (3mk)

1

1
2
2
3


16. A ray light is incident at right angles at the face AB, of a right angled isosceles prism of refractive index
1.6 as shown in the figure below.
Liquid
A C

B
If the prism is surrounded by a liquid of refractive index 1.4. Determine:
(i) The angle of incidence on the face BC. (1mk)
(ii) The angle of refraction on the face BC. (3mk)
17. Two glass prisms are placed together as shown in figure below:

450
n=1.6 

n=1.4
45 0

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 4
 If a beam of light strikes the face of one of the prisms normally as shown, at what angle  does the beam
emerge from the prism? (5mks)

18. Figure below shows the path of light through a transparent material placed in air.
AIR

1380
Transparent
material
Ray of
light

Calculate the refractive index of the transparent material. (3mks)

19. A student carried out and experiment on refraction of light incident on a glass block.
Sheobtained the following.
i r Sin i Sin r
20o 12.7 o
30o 18.9 o
o
40 25.0 o
50o 30.0 o
60o 34.0 o
o
70 37.0 o

(i). Complete the table for the values of sin i and sin r. (1mk)
(ii). Draw the graph of sin i (y – axis) against sin r. (5mk)
(iii). Determine the slope of the graph. What does it represent? (4mk)
(iv). Use the results in b (iii) to calculate the velocity of light in glass, given that velocity of light in
vacuum is 3.0 x 108 m/s. (3mk)

SPEED OF LIGHT
1. Light travels through glass of refractive index 1.5 with a speed V. Calculate the value of V. (Speed of light
in air = 3.0 x 108 m/s). (2mk)

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 5
2. Paraffin has a greater refractive index than that of water. Comment about the relative velocity of light in
paraffin and in water.

3. Calculate the refractive index of glass given that the velocity of light in air is 3x 108 ms-1 and velocity of
light in glass is 2.4 x 108ms-1.

4. Calculate the speed of light in water (nw = 4/3, C= 3 x 108ms)

5. Liquid X has a greater refractive index than liquid L. What information does this statement give with
regard to:
(i) Velocity of light in the two liquids?

(1mk)
(ii) The path of light ray moving from liquid X to liquid L if the angle of incidence in X is greater
than zero degrees (i.e. i° > 00) (1mk)

REAL AND APPARENT DEPTH

1. The diagram below shows a transparent water tank containing water of refractive index 4/3. An electric
light is fixed at corner A of the tank. A light ray from the slit shines on the water surface BC at an
angle of 480as shown
B C
480

Ray of Water
light

A
Lamp

i) Determine the angle of refraction for the ray shown in the diagram.
ii) Complete the diagram to show the refracted ray.

2. Figure shows a coin placed in a large empty container. An observer looking into the container from the
position shown is unable to see the coin.

Observe
F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT r Pg 6
 Sketch two rays from a point on the coin to show how the observer is able to
see the image of the coin after the container is filled with water.

3. An Eskimo walking along an Iceland observed an inverted image in the sky of a polar bear standing
some distance away. Explain (2mks)

4. A coin is placed beneath a transparent block of thickness 10cm and refractive index 1.50. Calculate the
vertical displacement of the coin.(3mks)

5. A ray of light is directed at an angle of 500 on to a liquid-air boundary. The refractive index of the
liquid is 1.4.Show on a diagram the patch taken by the ray on striking the liquid-air boundary. Show
how you arrive at your answer.

6. A small object lies at the bottom of a water pond at a depth of 2.4m.Given that the refractive index of
water is 1.3, determine the apparent depth of the object. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.

7. A nail at the bottom of a beaker containing glycerine appears to be 6.8 cm below the surface of
glycerine. Determine the height of the glycerine in the beaker. (take the refractive index of glycerine as
1.47) (3mk)

8. A beaker of height 10 cm is filled with water. An optical pin which is at the bottom of the beaker is then
viewed from the top of the beaker. How far does the pin appear from the surface, if the refractive index
4
of water is 3 ) ( 2mks)

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 7
9. A pin is placed horizontally at the bottom of a beaker 9cm tall completely filled with a liquid. Viewing
from the top, the pin appears to be 2cm above the bottom of the beaker. Calculate the refractive index
of the liquid. (3mk)

10. The real thickness of crown glass block of refractive index 1.58 is 10cm is 10cm. Calculate theapparent
thickness of the glass.

11. A microscope is focused on a mark on a horizontal surface. A rectangular glass block 30mm thick is
placed on the mark. The microscope is then adjusted 10mm upwards to bring the mark back to focus.
Determine the refractive index of the glass.
(3mk)

12. Calculate the apparent depth of an object, O in the fig below. (3mk)

Glass block
20cm
n = 1.5

13. A traveling microscope (M) is focused on a coin placed at the bottom of an empty beaker as shown in
the figure below
M
M 3cm

Coin Coin
image

F O R M 3 N O T E S: (i)
RE FRACTION OF LIGHT (ii) Pg 8
 When water of refractive index 1.33 is poured into the beaker, the microscope has to be raised through
3cm to focus the image of the coin, figure (ii). Calculate the height of water poured into the beaker
(3mk)

14. A vertical pin is fixed at the centre of a rectangular container with thin transparent walls as shown
below.

A
Drawing
5 cm Pin

A transparent liquid is then poured into the container. When viewed from side A, the distance of the pin
is 1.9cm from the edge, determine the refractive index of the liquid. (2mk)

15. A small bright object O lies at the bottom of a beaker containing water of depth h. A convex lens of
focal length 15cm is held at the surface of the water. With this arrangement the image of O is formed at
a point 45cm from the water surface as shown in the figure below.
Imag

45cm
Lens

h Observe

Taking the refractive index of water to be 4/3. Determine

(i) the apparent depth of the object (2mks)

(ii) the real depth h, of the object (3mk)

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 9
16. The data below shows the results obtained when such an experiment was performed by form three
students using various values of real depths, Y of a liquid.
Real depth (cm) 30 50 70 90 110 130
Apparent depth(cm) 22 37 52 66 81 96
i) Plot a graph of the real depth (y-axis) against apparent depth.
ii) From the graph, determine the refractive index of the liquid.

17. In an experiment to determine refractive index of water, a black line is painted on the bottom of a tall
glass container which is then partially filled with water. The black line appears closer than it is really.
The following results were recorded from the experiment
Real depth (cm) 8.1 12 16 20
Displacement (cm) 2.2 2.9 4 4.9
Apparent depth(cm)

i. Complete the table for apparent depth row (2mks)

ii. Plot a graph of real depth against apparent depth on the grid provided (5mks)
(iii) Determine the refractive index for the water (2 mks)

18. The table below shows results obtained when an experiment was carried out using various depths of a
liquid.
Real depth (cm) 8.0 12.0 16.0 20.0 24.0 28.0
Apparent depth (cm) 4.88 7.32 9.76 12.20 14.64 17.08
(i) Use the table to plot a graph of apparent depth against real depth (5mks)
(ii) Use the graph to determine the refractive index of the liquid. (3mks)
(iii) What is the real depth of the pin when the apparent depth is 2.44cm? (2mks)

19. The graph shown below shows, the apparent depth (y-axis) against real depth. Use it to calculate the
refractive index of glass.

Apparent
depth (cm)
20

15

10

0 10 20 30 40
Real depth (cm)

TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 10
1. Explain what you understand by the term critical angle as applied in optics (1 mk)

2. State two conditions necessary for total internal reflection to occur 2 mks

3. State TWO uses of total internal reflection.

4. Give one use of an optical fibre. (1mk)

5. State two uses of optical fibres whose working relies on total internal reflection.

(2mk)
6. Kenya launched the use of optical fibres in communication recently. State why optical fibres are preferred
to ordinary cables.

7. A glass prism of has refractive index of 1.5. Calculate the critical angle of this glass prism (3mk)
4
8. The refractive index for air to water is 3 , find the critical angle C for water – air interface (2 mks)

9. Critical angle of a material is 420, determine the angle of retraction of light in the material if theincidence
angle is 300. (2 mks)

10. Explain with an aid of a diagram why to a diver under water, most of the surface looks slivery. Bubbles of
air rising from the diver look slivery. (2mk)

11. Explain with the aid of a diagram, how a suitable glass prism may be used to turn a ray of light 1800

12. Light travels from glass to air as shown. The refractive index of glass 1.5
F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 11
 Air

Glass X0
n=1.5

(a) Determine angle x (2mk).

b). What name is given to angle x? (1mk)

13. The figure below shows the path of a ray ofAir

light passing through a rectangular glass block placed in air.
Glass
0
42

Ray

Calculate the refractive index of glass. (2mk)

14. Complete the path of the ray shown until when it leaves the glass prism, given that the criticalangle from
glass is 420. (Show all the angles). (n = 3/2 for glass)

300
15. Complete the path of the ray shown until when it leaves the glass prism, given thatrefractive indexfor glass
is n= 1.5 and the critical angle of glass is 420. (Show all the angles). (3mk)

450

16. The figure below shows two rays of light incident normally on one face of a glass prism, whose critical
angle is 42º .

450

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 12
450
 Complete the diagram to show the paths of the two rays as they pass through the prism.
3mks

0
17. Two rays are incident on the base of a triangular prism whose angles areα =30 as shown in the figure
below. If the refractive index isn=1. 414 , determine the angle between the two emergent rays.
(3mks)
α

18. Figure 6 show a ray of light incident on the face of a water prism.

Air Water

450
450

Sketch the path of the rays as it passes through the prism. Critical angle for water is 49 0

19. The fig 1 below shows a ray of light incident on a glass prism
A B
400 400

1000
F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT C Pg 13
 Given that the critical angle for the grass is 390, sketch on the diagram the path of the ray through the
prism (2 mk)

20. The figure below shows two rays A and B entering a semi circular glass block which has critical angle of
420. The rays are incident at an air glass boundary at point O

Air

O
Glass
0
45
300
A

B
Complete the path of the two rays from point O. Label A1 and B1 the corresponding rays.

DISPERSION OF LIGHT
1. Other than the peeling off of the silvering on mirrors. State two other disadvantages of plane mirrors over
prisms in making periscopes. ( 2mk)

2. What is dispersion of light? (1mk)

3. What measurable quantity is associated with colour of light?

4. Fig shows white light falling on a prism.

X
White light
Y
a) Name the colour at X and Y (1 mk)

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 14
 b) Explain why a prism disperses white light into its component colours.(1 mk)

5. The figure below shows a ray of light passing into a glass prism ABC. Sketch the path of the ray as it
travels from the face AC. (critical angle for glass is 420)
(2mk)
A

600 Normal

600 600
B C
6. The figure below represents a ray of white light incident on one face of a triangular prism, a spectrum is
observed on a screen on the other side of the prism. Draw a labeled diagram to show the path of differently
coloured rays which produces the spectrum observed on the screen. (3mk)

Screen

7. The figure shows the path of a yellow light through a glass prism. The speed of yellow light in the prism is
1.88 x 108 m/s.

600

Ө
r
Yellow light

b) Determine the refractive index of the prism material for the light. (Speed of light in
vacuum = 3.0 x 108 ms-1)

b) Show on the figure, the critical angle C and determine its value.
c) Given that r= 21.20, determine angle Ө

F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 15
 (d) Determine the critical angle for the prism. (2mk)

e) On the same figure, sketch the path of the light after striking the prism if the prism was replaced
by another of similar shape but lower refractive index. (Use dotted line for your answer).

8. Figure shows the path of a ray of red light through a glass prism. The speed of red light in the prism is 2.02
x 108m/s.

Screen

10

Red light

a) Determine the refractive index of glass for red light given that the speed of light in air is 3.0 x
8
10 m/s. (2 mks)

b) Calculate the wavelength of red light in air if the frequency of red light is
4.3 x 1014Hz.

(2 mks)
c) Calculate the wavelength of red light in glass.

(2 mks)
d) Given that the angle of refraction is 25.60. Determine the value of the angle of
incidence.

(2 mks)
e) Draw a ray to compete the path of red light in figure above up to the point where it hits the screen.
(Label this ray as e) `
f) If the red light shown in above is replaced by yellow light. Complete the entire path of yellow
light until it hits the screen. (Label this ray as f) (1 mk)
g) Is the speed of yellow light in glass more or less than that of red light? Explain your answer. State
one reason why prisms produce better optical instruments than plane mirrors
(1mk)
9. A student used the set up below in order to determine the refractive index of glass white light. The results
obtained are displayed in the table below the diagram
F O R M 3 N O T E S: REFRACTION OF LIGHT Pg 16
 N
D0
i0
Monochromati
c light

Angle i0 20 25 30 35 45 50 55 65 70
Angle D0 67 52 41 39 38 41 44 57 60

(i) In the grid below, plot a graph of D0 against i0 (5 marks

(ii) From the graph, determine the minimum angle of deviation, d0 (2mk)
(iii) Using the equation
d0
n =2 sin (30 0 + ),
2
Determine, n, the refractive index of the glass (2 marks)

(iv) Use your value of n in (iii) above to determine the critical angle of glass for white light
(3 marks)

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