LUMINOUS INTENSITY
Complete JUPEB Physics Note
Luminous intensity is one of the seven fundamental quantities in Physics. It deals with the
amount of visible light emitted by a source in a particular direction. The study of luminous
intensity is important in optics, illumination engineering, photography, astronomy, and
electrical lighting systems.
Definition of Luminous Intensity
Luminous intensity is the amount of visible light emitted by a source in a given direction per
unit solid angle.
SI Unit of Luminous Intensity
The SI unit of luminous intensity is the candela (cd).
Nature of Luminous Intensity
Luminous intensity is a fundamental scalar quantity because it has magnitude but no
direction.
Important Terms in Illumination
Luminous Flux: The total amount of light energy emitted per second by a light source.
Measured in lumen (lm).
Illumination: The amount of light falling on a surface per unit area. Measured in lux
(lx).
Brightness: The sensation produced in the eye by light.
Solid Angle: The angle subtended at the center of a sphere by an area on its surface.
Units Related to Light
Quantity SI Unit Symbol
Luminous Intensity Candela cd
Luminous Flux Lumen lm
Illumination Lux lx
Laws of Illumination
1. Inverse Square Law
The illumination produced by a point source is inversely proportional to the square of the
distance from the source.
Formula:
I ∝ 1/d²
This means that as distance increases, illumination decreases rapidly.
Worked Example on Inverse Square Law
Question: A lamp produces an illumination of 80 lx at a distance of 2 m. Calculate the
illumination at a distance of 4 m.
Solution:
Using inverse square law:
I₁/I₂ = d₂²/d₁²
80/I₂ = 4²/2²
80/I₂ = 16/4
80/I₂ = 4
I₂ = 20 lx
2. Lambert's Cosine Law
The illumination on a surface is proportional to the cosine of the angle between the incident
light and the normal to the surface.
Formula:
E ∝ cosθ
Sources of Light
Natural Sources: Examples include the Sun and stars.
Artificial Sources: Examples include electric bulbs, fluorescent lamps, LEDs, and
candles.
Types of Reflection
Regular Reflection: Occurs on smooth surfaces producing clear images.
Diffuse Reflection: Occurs on rough surfaces causing scattered reflection.
Photometry
Photometry is the branch of physics concerned with the measurement of visible light.
Photometer
A photometer is an instrument used for comparing luminous intensities of light sources.
Worked Numerical Problems
Question: Two bulbs produce luminous intensities of 40 cd and 10 cd respectively.
Compare their brightness at equal distances.
Solution:
Brightness ratio = 40 : 10 = 4 : 1
Question: A source produces an illumination of 100 lx at 5 m. Calculate the illumination at
10 m.
Solution:
I₁/I₂ = d₂²/d₁²
100/I₂ = 10²/5²
100/I₂ = 100/25
100/I₂ = 4
I₂ = 25 lx
Question: A surface is inclined at 60° to incident light. Calculate the illumination factor
using Lambert’s cosine law.
Solution:
E ∝ cos60°
cos60° = 0.5
Illumination factor = 0.5
Applications of Luminous Intensity
Street lighting design
Photography and cinematography
Stage lighting
Astronomy
Optical instrument design
Interior illumination systems
Errors in Light Measurement
Parallax Error: Occurs when scales are viewed incorrectly.
External Light Interference: Occurs when unwanted light affects readings.
Instrument Calibration Error: Occurs due to faulty photometers.
JUPEB Advanced Practice Questions
1. 1. Define luminous intensity and state its SI unit.
2. 2. Differentiate between luminous intensity and luminous flux.
3. 3. State the inverse square law of illumination.
4. 4. A lamp gives an illumination of 120 lx at 3 m. Calculate the illumination at 6 m.
5. 5. Explain Lambert’s cosine law.
6. 6. A bulb has luminous intensity 50 cd. Explain the meaning of this statement.
7. 7. Differentiate between regular and diffuse reflection.
8. 8. State three applications of luminous intensity in modern technology.
9. 9. What is a photometer and what is it used for?
10. 10. A source produces illumination of 200 lx at 2 m. Find the illumination at 8 m.
11. 11. Why does illumination decrease with distance?
12. 12. Explain the difference between natural and artificial sources of light.
13. 13. State three factors affecting illumination.
14. 14. A surface makes an angle of 30° with incident light. Determine the illumination
factor using Lambert’s law.
15. 15. Why is candela regarded as a fundamental SI unit?
16. 16. Differentiate between brightness and illumination.
17. 17. Describe two sources of error in photometry experiments.
18. 18. State the SI units of luminous intensity, luminous flux, and illumination.
Objective Questions
The SI unit of luminous intensity is:
A. lumen
B. lux
C. candela
D. watt
Answer: C
The SI unit of illumination is:
A. lux
B. lumen
C. candela
D. joule
Answer: A
An instrument used for comparing luminous intensity is:
A. thermometer
B. photometer
C. stopwatch
D. balance
Answer: B
According to the inverse square law, illumination is proportional to:
A. d²
B. 1/d
C. 1/d²
D. d
Answer: C
Summary
Luminous intensity is the amount of visible light emitted by a source in a given direction. Its
SI unit is candela. Concepts such as illumination, luminous flux, inverse square law, and
Lambert’s cosine law are important in optics and illumination engineering.