Light – Reflection and Refraction – Short Notes
REFLECTION
Reflection of Light: The phenomenon of bouncing back of light into the same medium by the
smooth surface is called reflection.
Incident ray: Light which falls on the surface is called incident light.
Reflected ray: Light which goes back after reflection is called reflected light
The angle of incidence: The angle between the incident ray and the normal.
An angle of reflection: The angle between the reflected ray and the normal.
Mirror: The surface which can reflect the light is a mirror.
Plane Mirror: If the reflecting surface is a plane then the mirror is plane.
Law of Reflection: According to this law
• “The incident ray, refracted ray and normal at the point of incidence all lie in the same
plane.”
• “The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.”
Spherical Mirror: If the reflecting surface is part of the hollow sphere then the mirror is a
spherical mirror.
The spherical mirror is of two types:
• Convex mirror: In this mirror reflecting surface is convex. It diverges the light so it is also
called a diverging mirror.
• Concave mirror: In this mirror reflecting surface is concave. It converges the light so it is
also called converging mirror.
Parameters of Mirror:
• Centre of Curvature: The centre of hollow sphere of which mirror is a part.
• The radius of curvature: The radius of hollow sphere of which mirror is a part.
• Pole: The centre of mirror (middle point) is pole.
• Principal axis: The line joining the pole and centre of curvature is called principal axis.
• Aperture: Size of mirror is called aperture of mirror.
• Principal Focus: The point on the principal axis, where all the incident rays parallel to
principal axis converge or diverge after reflection through mirror.
• Focal Length: The distance between pole and focus point is focal length.
Use of Concave Mirror: It is used as a makeup mirror, the reflector in torches, in headlights of
cars and searchlights, doctor’s head-mirrors, solar furnace, etc.
Sign Conventions of Spherical Mirror
Mirror Formula
1 1 1
• = + … where f, v and u are focal length, image distance, object distance
𝑓 𝑣 𝑢
Linear Magnification: This is the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the
object.
ℎ′ 𝑣
m= = − …where m = magnification, h = height of image, h’ = height of object
ℎ 𝑢
Use of Convex Mirror: Convex mirror used as rear view mirror in vehicles, as shop
security mirrors, etc.
REFRACTION
• Refraction of Light: The bending of light when light passes from one medium to the
other is called Refraction of light.
If the velocity of light in medium is more, then medium is called optical rarer.
Example, air or vacuum is more optical rarer.
If the velocity of light in medium is less, then medium is called optical denser.
Example, glass is denser than air.
• Refractive Index: It represents the amount or extent of bending of light when it passes
from one medium to another.
There are two types of refractive index
(a) Relative refractive index and
(b) Absolute refractive index
• Refractive index of medium with respect to another medium is called Relative
Refractive Index.
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 2 (𝑉2)
Refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2 = 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 1 (𝑉1)
• Refractive index of medium with respect to air or vacuum is called Absolute Refractive
Index.
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟 (𝑐)
Absolute refractive index of medium (m) = = 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 (𝑉
𝑚)
Refracted ray: It is an outgoing ray from the refracting surface.
An angle of incidence (i): It is the angle between incident rays and perpendicular line (normal)
at the point of incidence.
An angle of refraction (r): It is the angle between refracted rays and perpendicular line (normal)
at the point of incidence.
Law of Refraction: According to this law
• “The incident ray, refracted ray and normal at the point of incidence all lie in the same
plane.”
• “The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is
constant.” = Snell’s Law
sin 𝑖
sin 𝑟
= constant (µ)
Lens: The transparent refracting medium bounded by two surfaces in which at least one surface
is curved is called lens.
• Lenses are mainly of two types:
(a) Convex lens and
(b) Concave lens.
Optical Centre: It is a special point on the principal axis. Light incident on the optical centre
passes through the lens without deviation.
Principal Focus: The point on the principal axis at which all incident rays parallel to the principal
axis converge or appear to diverge after refraction through the lens.
Lens Formula
1 1 1
𝑓
= 𝑣 − 𝑢 … where f, v and u are focal length, image distance, object distance
Linear Magnification: This is the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the
object.
ℎ′ 𝑣
m= = …where m = magnification, h = height of image, h’ = height of object
ℎ 𝑢
• If the magnification of a lens is negative, then the image formed is inverted and real.
• If the magnification of a lens is positive, then the image formed is erect and virtual.
Power is defined as the reciprocal of the focal length (in metre). Power is measured in dioptre.
• Convex lens have positive power and concave lens has negative power