TOPIC: REFRACTION THROUGH A GLASS SLAB & REFRACTIVE INDEX
PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (1 Mark Each)
Q1. A ray of light passes from air into a rectangular glass slab. What is the relationship between the angle of
incidence (i) and the angle of emergence (e)?
A) i > e B) i < e C) i = e D) i = 2e
Q2. When light enters a denser medium from a rarer medium, its speed:
A) Increases and it bends away from the normal
B) Decreases and it bends toward the normal
C) Increases and it bends toward the normal
D) Decreases and it bends away from the normal
Q3. The absolute refractive index of any medium is always:
A) Less than 1 B) Equal to 1 C) Greater than 1 D) Zero
Q4. The lateral displacement of a light ray passing through a glass slab does NOT depend on:
A) Thickness of the glass slab B) Angle of incidence
C) Refractive index of the glass slab D) Nature of the light source
Q5. If the refractive index of a medium is 1.5, the speed of light in that medium is:
A) 2.0 x 10^8 m/s B) 3.0 x 10^8 m/s
C) 4.5 x 10^8 m/s D) 1.5 x 10^8 m/s
Q6. When a ray of light falls normally on the surface of a glass slab, the angle
of refraction is:
A) 90 degrees B) 45 degrees C) 0 degrees D) 60 degrees
Q7. Refractive index of glass with respect to water is 9/8. What is the refractive index of water with respect to
glass?
A) 9/8 B) 8/9 C) 1.5 D) 1.33
Q8. Which of the following characteristics of light does NOT change during refraction?
A) Speed B) Wavelength C) Frequency D) Amplitude
Q9. The unit of refractive index is:
A) m/s B) dioptre C) degree D) It has no unit
Q10. A ray of light travels from medium A to medium B. If it bends away from the normal, then:
A) Medium A is optically denser than medium B
B) Medium B is optically denser than medium A
C) Both media have the same optical density
D) Medium A is a vacuum
PART 2
SECTION A: CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS (2 Marks Each)
Q11. When a ray of light passes through a rectangular glass slab, the emergent ray is parallel to the incident
ray but shifted sideways. What are the two factors that determine the magnitude of this lateral displacement?
Q12. Under what two specific conditions will a ray of light pass through a refractive medium interface without
changing its direction?
Q13. State the difference between the absolute refractive index of a medium and the relative refractive index
between two media. Can the absolute refractive index of any medium be less than 1? Why or why not?
Q14. When light travels from air into a glass slab, what happens to its:
(a) Frequency? (b) Wavelength (c) Speed?
SECTION B: DIAGRAM-BASED QUESTIONS (3 Marks Each)
Q15. Draw a neat, labelled ray diagram showing the refraction of a light ray through a rectangular glass slab.
Clearly mark the following:
Incident ray, Refracted ray, and Emergent ray
Angle of incidence (i), Angle of refraction (r), and Angle of emergence (e)
Lateral displacement (d)
Q16. A student traces the path of a ray of light through a glass slab and measures
angle i = 40 degrees, angle r = 25 degrees, and angle e = 45 degrees.
(a) Is this observation accurate according to the laws of refraction?
(b) Justify your answer theoretically.
SECTION C: NUMERICAL PROBLEMS (3 to 5 Marks Each)
Q17. The absolute refractive index of diamond is 2.42. If the speed of light in air is 3 x 10^8 m/s, calculate the
speed of light in diamond. (3 Marks)
Q18. The refractive index of glass with respect to air is 3/2 and the refractive index of water with respect to air is
4/3. Calculate: (4 Marks)
(a) The refractive index of glass with respect to water.
(b) The refractive index of water with respect to glass.
Q19. A ray of light strikes a glass slab at an angle of 60 degrees with the normal. If the refracted ray makes an
angle of 30 degrees with the normal, calculate the refractive index of the glass. (3 Marks)
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