DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

NADERGUL
GRADE-10
Physical science
light – notes
Light: It is form of radiant energy which gives us sensation of vision.
Optics: The study of behaviour of light is called optics.
Properties of light:
Rectilinear Propagation of light: Light travels in a Straight Line.

Fermat’s principle: Light travels in a path which takes least time to

travel.
Reflection of light: When a ray of light falls on any object (polished,
smooth, shiny object), light from that object bounces back those rays of light to
our eyes and this is known as “Reflection” or “Reflection of Light”

Types of Reflection: The reflection of light can be roughly categorized

into two types of reflection.
 Specular/Regular reflection: Specular reflection is defined as light
reflected from a smooth surface at a definite angle

Diffused/Irregular reflection: Diffuse reflection is the reflection

produced by rough surfaces that tend to reflect light in all directions. There are
far more occurrences of diffuse reflection than specular reflection in our
everyday environment.

Differences between specular and diffused reflection:

Laws of reflection:

1. The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal to the surface at the
point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
2. The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence.
Incident Ray: An incident ray is a rectilinear ray of light that strikes a
surface.
Reflected Ray: A ray of light that is thrown back from a reflecting
surface is called reflected ray.
Normal Ray: An imaginary line perpendicular to the surface of
mirror at point of incidence.
Angle of incidence: Angle between incident ray and normal.
Angle of reflection: Angle between reflection ray and normal.
Note: Laws of reflection applicable for all the surfaces.
Image formation by plane mirror: Images formed by plane mirrors
are virtual, upright, left-right reversed, the same distance from the mirror
as the object's distance, and the same size as the object.

Spherical mirrors: A mirror whose polished reflecting surface is a part

of a hollow sphere is called a spherical mirror. These are of two types,
concave mirror and convex mirror.
 Concave mirror: A spherical mirror whose reflecting surface is curved
inwards, facing towards the centre of the sphere.
Convex mirror: A spherical mirror whose reflecting surface is curved
outwards.

Concave mirror Convex mirror

 Reflecting surface is towards  Reflecting surface is towards
the inner side the outer side
 Forms real and inverted images  Forms virtual and erect images
 Converging  Diverging
 Eg: make up mirror, dentist’s  Eg: rear view mirror, reflectors
mirror, car headlights in street lamps, vigilance
mirror

Terms related to spherical mirrors:

1. Aperture:- The effective width of a spherical mirror from which the

reflection takes place.
2. Pole:- the centre of a spherical mirror is called pole.
3. Centre of Curvature:- The centre of the hollow sphere of which the
spherical mirror is a part of.
4. Radius of Curvature:- The radius of the hollow sphere.
5. Principal Axis:- A straight line passing through the centre of curvature
and pole.
6. Normal:- It is a straight line obtained by joining any point of the
spherical mirror with the centre of curvature.
7. Focus:- The point on the principal axis where all the reflected rays
meet or appear to meet.
8. Focal length:- The distance between the pole and the focus.
Note : Relation between focal length and radius of curvature is given by
F= R/2 (OR )R= 2F

Rules to draw ray diagrams:-

1. If a ray passes parallel to the principal axis, it reflects through focus.

2. When a ray passes through focus, it reflects parallel to the principal

axis.

3. If the ray passes through the centre of curvature, it reflects back in the
same path.
4. If a ray strikes obliquely at the pole of the mirror, it reflects back from
the same point with the same angle.

Ray diagrams using concave mirror

1. Object at infinity
Nature of the image:-
• Real and inverted
• At focus
• Highly diminished
2. Object: Beyond centre of curvature (or) between infinity and
centre of curvature
Nature of the image:-
• Real and inverted
• Between centre of curvature and focus
• Diminished
3. Object : At centre of curvature
Nature of the image:-
• Real and inverted
• At centre of curvature
• Same size
4. Object : between centre of curvature and focus
Nature of image:-
• Real and inverted
• Beyond centre of curvature
• Magnified
5. Object: At focus
Nature of image:-
• Real and inverted
• At infinity
• Highly magnified
6. Object : Between focus and pole
Nature of the image:-
• Virtual and erect
• Behind the mirror
• Highly magnified
Table showing object position, image position and the nature of the
image formed by a concave mirror for different cases:
Images formed by convex mirror
1. Object: At infinity
Nature of the image:
• Virtual and erect
• Behind mirror at F
• Highly diminished
2. Object : anywhere between infinity and pole
Nature of the image:
• Virtual and erect
• Behind the mirror between pole and
focus
• Highly diminished
NOTE: Convex mirrors always produce virtual, erect and diminished
image.
Table showing object position, image position and the nature of the
image formed by a convex mirror for different cases:
Position of the object Position of the image Nature and size of the
image
At infinity Behind mirror at F Virtual, erect and point
size
Anywhere between Behind the mirror Virtual, erect and highly
infinity and pole between pole and focus diminished

Uses of a concave mirror:

1. Concave mirror is used as reflector in torch lights , search light, head
lights etc.
2. It is used as dentist's head mirror.
Uses of a convex mirror:
1. It is used as reflector in street lamps.
2. It is used as a rear view mirror in vehicles.
NOTE: Drivers use convex mirror as rear view mirror because a convex
mirror diverges the incident beam of light and always forms virtual,
 small and erect image between the pole and focus. Also convex mirrors
provide a wider field of view.

Lens: A lens is a piece of transparent material bound by two curved surface or

by one curved surface and one plane surface.
Convex lens: A lens which is thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. It
is a converging lens.
Concave lens: A lens which is thinner in the middle and thicker at the edges. It
is a diverging lens.
Difference between concave and convex lens:
Concave lens Convex lens
 Thinner at the centre and  Thicker at the centre and
thicker at the edges thinner at the edges
 When the lens is held close to  When the lens is held close to
the object, it forms virtual, the object, it forms virtual,
erect and diminished image erect and magnified image
 When the lens is held away  When the lens is held away
from the object, it forms from the object, it forms real
virtual, erect and diminished and inverted images
images
 Diverging  Converging
 Eg: peep hole in door  Eg: magnifying glass

TERMS RELATED TO LENS

 •Aperture: The effective width of a lens from which refraction takes place is
called its aperture.
•Optical centre: The centre of a lens is called its optical centre. If a ray passes
through it does not undergo any deviation.
•Principal Axis: A line passing through the optical centre and perpendicular to
both the faces of the lens is called its principal axis.
•Principal Focus: A Point on the principal axis at which parallel rays after
refraction converge or appear to diverge from it.
•Focal length: The distance between the focus and the centre of the lens.
•Power of lens: The reciprocal of the focal length of a lens measured in meters
is called its power. It is denoted by P
• Power = 1 / focal length (m) (or ) Power = 100 / f(cm)
•

Rules to draw ray diagrams of lens

 Rule I: A ray passing parallel to principal axis after refraction
passes through the focus
 Rule II : A ray passing through the focus after refraction passes
parallel to the principal axis

 Rule III : A ray passing through optical centre does not undergo any
refraction

 Ray diagrams using convex lens

1. Object: At infinity
 Nature of the image:-
 Real and inverted
 At F1
 Highly diminished

2. Object: Beyond 2F1 (or) between infinity and 2F1

 Nature of the image:-
 Real and inverted
 Between 2F2 and F2
 Diminished

3. Object : At 2F1
 Nature of the image:-
 Real and inverted
 At 2F2
 Same size

4. Object : between 2F1 and F1

 Nature of image:-
 Real and inverted
 Beyond 2F2
 Magnified

5. Object: At focus
 Nature of image:-
 Real and inverted
 At infinity
 Highly magnified

6. Object : Between F1 and Optical centre

 Nature of the image:-
 Virtual and erect
 On the same side of the object
 Highly magnified

Table showing object position, image position and the nature of

the image formed by a convex lens for different cases
 Images formed by concave Lens
1. Object at infinity
 Nature Of the Image:
 Virtual and Erect
 On the same side of the object (at
F1)
 Highly diminished

2. Object anywhere
between infinity and O
 Nature Of the Image:
 Virtual and Erect
 On the same side of the
object
 Diminished

Table showing object position, image position and the nature of

the image formed by a convex lens for different cases

Uses of convex lens

 It is used as Magnifying Glass.
 It is used to Make Microscope.
 It is used in spectacles to correct the vision. It cures defects
called Hypermetropia (far sightedness) where patients can't see
objects closer to them.
Uses of concave lens
 Opticians use concave lenses to correct Myopia (near
sightedness).
 Camera manufacturers use combinations of concave and
convex lenses to improve the quality of photographs.
 Concave lenses are used in flashlights to widen the beam
produced by the bulb.

Defects of  Vision and their Correction

 
Three common refractive defects of the eye:
o Myopia or Near-sightedness
o Hypermetropia or Farsightedness
o Presbyopia
 
 Myopia
o Near-sightedness : A person with Myopia can see nearby objects
clearly
o A person with myopia cannot see faraway objects clearly.
o The far point for the myopic eye is nearer than infinity

o Occurs due to

o Excessive curvature of the eye lens

o Elongation of eyeball

o The image of a distance object is formed in front of the retina and

not on the retina
o Defected is corrected by using Concave lenses such that the lens
will bring the image back on to the retina.
 
 
 
 
 Hypermetropia
o Far sightedness : A person with Hypermetropia can see faraway
objects clearly.
o A person with Hypermetropia cannot see nearby objects clearly.

o The near point of the eye is more than 25cm

o This arises mostly during latter stages in life, as a result of the

weakening of the ciliary muscles and/or the decreased flexibility
of the lens.
o Focal length of the eye lens is too long

o Eyeball has become too small. 

o The image of a distance object is formed in behind the retina and

not on the retina
o Defected is corrected by using Convex lenses such that the lens
will bring the image back on to the retina.
 Presbyopia
o The power of accommodation of the eye usually decreases with
ageing. The ciliary muscles weaken and thereby the flexibility of
the eye lens reduces.
o The near point moves away.

o Spectacles with bifocal lenses are recommended

Myopia and Hypermetropia

o Sometimes a person may suffer from both near sightedness and
far-sightedness.
o Such people are advised to use bifocal lenses.
o Bifocal lenses consists of concave on the upper portion and convex
on the lower portion.
o Concave supports distinct vision and convex supports near vision
Refractive eye defects can also be corrected using contact lenses or
through specific surgical procedures.
 Dispersion: The phenomenon of splitting of white light into seven
colours is called dispersion.

Eg: i) Raindrops split the sunlight and form rainbow

ii) Seen on soap bubbles and CD’s.

Band of seven colours formed Red, green and blue are

after dispersion is called called primary colours
Spectrum (VIBGYOR)

Note: The violet light is bent more than the red light because of its wave
length.