4.

REFRACTION OF LIGHT AT CURVED SURFACES

· When a light ray travels from optically rarer medium to optically denser medium, it bends
towards normal.

· When a light ray travels from denser to rarer medium, it bends away from the normal.
· The light ray which travels along the normal drawn to the seperating surface of two media
does not deviate from its path.

· Curved surface formula:

This formula can also use for plane surfaces, radius of curvature (R) approaches to

infinity. Hence becomes zero.

· Formula for Plane surface:

That is

Lenses

Convex Lenses:

Double Convex lens Plano-convex lens Concavo-convex lens

(Biconvex lens)
Concave Lenses:

Double Concave lens (Biconcave lens) Plano-concave lens Convexo-concave lens

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Symbols of lenses while drawing:
Convex Lens Concave Lens

Convex Lens Symbol Concave Lens Symbol

· Each curved surface of a lens is part of sphere. The centre of the sphere which
contains the part of curved surface is called centre of curvature. If a lens contains
two curved surfaces then their centres of curvature are C1 and C2 respectively.
· The distance between centre of curvature and surface is called radius of curvature,
in the diagram R1 and R2 are radii of curvature for surface-1 and surface -2
respectively.
· The line joining the points C1 andC2 is called Principal Axis.
· The midpoint of a thin lens is called Optic centre, and it is denoted by ‘P’.

R2 R1 R1 R2

C1 P C2
C2 P C1

Focus(F) or Focal Point of Convex lens:

A Parallel beam of light incident on a convex
lens converges at a point on the principal axis. C2 F2 P F1 C1
The point of convergence is called Focus or
focal point(F).
Focus(F) or Focal Point of Concave lens:
A Parallel beam of light incident on a concave
C1 F2 P1 F2 C2
lens seems to be emanate from a point on the
principal axis. The point from which rays seem to
be emanate is called Focus or Focal Point (F).

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F2
Focal length (f)
The distance between optic centre (P) and focus (F1 or F2) is called Focal length (f).

Behaviour of Certain light rays when they are incident on a lens:

Convex Lens Concave Lens
1. Ray travelling Parallel to Principal 1. Ray travelling Parallel to principal axis
axis passes through focus after refraction. seems to emanate from focus after
refraction

C1 F1 F2 C2
C2 F2 F1 C1

2. Ray Passing along principal axis is 2. Ray Passing along principal axis is
undeviated undeviated.

C1 F1 F2 C2 C2 F2 F1 C1

3. Ray Passing through optic centre is 3. Ray Passing through optic centre is
undeviated. undeviated.

C1 F1 F2 C2 C2 F2 F1 C1

4. Ray Passing through focus will take 4. Ray towards through focus will take the
the path parallel to principal axis after path parallel to principal axis after refraction
refraction

C1 F1 F2 C2
C2 F2 F1 C1

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5. A Parallel beam of light making an angle with principal axis falls on a convex lens, the rays
converage to a point lying on the ":focal plane". In the case of concave lens the rays seems to be
diverging from a point on the "focal plane:

Rules to draw Ray diagrams for image formation by lenses:

1. Select a point on the object placed at a point on the principal axis.
2. Draw two rays that were chosen by you from rays mentioned in above situations.
3. Extend both rays to intersect at a point. The point gives position of the image.
4. Draw a normal from point of intersection to the principal axis.
5. Normal represents size of the image.
Ray Diagrams for Convex Lens:
Characteristics of the Image:
Case-1: Object at Infinity:
1. Image formed at focal point
2. Point size image
3. Real image
C2 F2 F1 C1

Case-2: Object Placed beyond centre of curvature(C2) on the principal axis:

Characteristics of the Image:
Object

F1 C1 1. Image formed between F1 & C1

C2 F2 Image
2. Real image
3. Inverted
4. Diminished

Case-3: Object Placed at the centre of curvature(C2):

O/ P/ Characteristics of the Image:

F1 C1 I 1. Image formed at C1
O
C2 F2 P 2. Real image
I/
3. Inverted
4. Same size that of object
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Case-4: Object Placed between centre of curvature(C2) and Focal Point (F2):

Object F1 C1
Characteristics of the Image:
C2 F2 1. Image formed beyond C1
Image
2. Real Image
3. Inverted
4. Magnified image
Case-5: Object Placed at the Focal Point (F2):
C2 F2 F1 C1

Characteristics of the Image:

Object F1 C1
1. Image formed at infinity
C2 F2

Case-6: Object Placed between Focal Point (F2) and Optic centre (P):

image
Characteristics of the Image:
1. Image formed on the same side of the lens where
Object

C1
the object is placed.
C2 F2
2. Virtual Image
3. Erected Image
4. Magnified Image
F1

Ray Diagrams for Concave Lens: Characteristics of the Image:

Case-1: Object at Infinity: 1. Image formed at focal point
2. Point size image
3. Virtual image
C1 F1 F2 C2

Case-2: Object placed at any point Infront of the lens:

Characteristics of the Image:

Object C2
1. Image formed between optic centre (P)
F2
and Focal Point (F1).
C1 F1 Image p
2. Virtual Image
3. Erected Image
4. Diminished Image
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 OBSERVING THE TYPES OF IMAGES FORMED BY CONVEX LENS AND
MEASURING THE OBJECT DISTANCE AND IMAGE DISTANCE.
· Aim : Observing the types of images formed by convex and measuring the object distance
and image distance.
· Material required: A candle, Paper, Convex lens of known focal length, V-stand, Scale.
· Precautions:
i. Align the lens and flame of the candle at same height
ii. Ensure that you get a sharp image on the paper (Screen) before measuring the object
distance and image distance
· Procedure:
Take a V-Stand and place it on a long table (nearly 2 meter) at the middle. Place a convex
lens of known focal length on the V-stand. Imagine the principal axis of the lens. Identify
F,C on both sides of the lens. Light a candle and put it far away from the lens along the
principal axis. Adjust the screen (a white paper placed perpendicular to the axis) which
is on other side of the lens until get an image on it. Measure the object distance(u) and
image distance(v) from the lens. Record the values. Repeat the experiment with different
object distances and measure the image distances. When you do not get an image on the
screen, try to see the image with your eye in the lens from the place of the screen.

· Observations:
Position of the object Position of the image Characteristics of the image

At far distance (Infinity) Focal Point Point size image, Real image

Beyond “C1” Between “F2” and “C2” Inverted, Diminished, Real

At “C1” At “C2” Inverted, same size, Real

Between “F1” and “C1” Beyond “C2” Inverted, Magnified, Real

At “F1” Infinity ———

Between “F1” and “P” Beyond “F2”(Same side of the lens) Erected, Magnified, Virtual

Result:
i. In most of the conditions convex lens forms real and inverted image.
ii. While we move the object towards the lens image moves away from the lens generally

iii. In every situation is constant.

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 Lens Formula:

Where, f – Focal length

v-image distance
u-object distance.
Magnification:The ratio of height of image to the height of the object is known as magnification.
In the case of lens, it is equal to ratio of image distance to the object distance.

TO CHECK WHETHER THE FOCAL LENGTH OF A LENS DEPENDS ON THE

SURROUNDING MEDIUM.
· Aim:To check whether the focal length of a lens depends on the surrounding medium
· Material required: Convex lens of known focal length, cylindrical vessel having height
much greater than the focal length of the lens, black stone, water, circular lens holder.
· Precautions:
i. Move the lens upward slowly.
ii. Observe carefully that at what distance the clarity of vision is missing through the lens.
· Procedure:
Take a cylindrical vessel having height/depth much greater than the focal length of the
lens taken. Place a black stone inside the vessel at the bottom. Pour water into the
vessel up to the height such that the height of the water level from the top of the stone
is four times more than the focal length of the lens. Take the lens and fix it in circular
lens holder. Now dip the lens horizontally in water using holder. Set the distance
between stone and the lens that it is less than the focal length of the lens. Look at the
stone through the lens. Increase the distance between lens and stone until you can’t see
the stone clearly through the lens.
· Observations:You can see the stone through the lens placed in water even the distance
between the lens and stone is more than the focal length of the lens measured in air.
· Result:
i. Focal length of the lens is more, when it is measured in water than that of when it is
measured in air.
ii. Focal length of the lens depends on surrounding medium.
ã Convex lens behaves like a diverging lens (concave lens) when it is kept in a transparent
medium with greater refractive index than that of the lens.
ã Concave lens behaves like a converging lens(convex lens) when it is kept in a transparent
medium with greater refractive index than that of the lens.

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 ã Lens Makers formula:

Where, f – Focal length.

n- Relative refractive index of lens and surrounding medium.
R1- Radius of curvature of first surface of the lens.
R2- Radius of curvature of second surface of the lens.
Sign convention related to all the formulae of lenses:
1. All the distances should be measured from the optic centre.
2. The distances measured in the direction of incident light to be taken positive and those
measured in the direction opposite to incident ray to be taken negative.
3. Height of the object (ho) and height of the image (hi) are positive if measured upwards
from the principal axis and negative if measured downwards.

ASSESSMENT

Very Short AnswerQuestions

1. Compete the following diagram.

C2 F2 F1 C1

2. What happens, if a parallel beam of light incident on a convex lens makes some
angle with principal axis?
3. How do you represent convex lens and concave lens while drawing ray diagrams?
4. Why convex lens used as magnifier?
5. Write the names of apparatus used in the experiment to show that focal length of a lens
depends on surrounding medium where it was placed.
6. How do you say that focal length of concave lens is always negative?
Short Answer Questions
1. How light rays behave when passing through optic centre of convex lens and concave
lens?
2. Write the difference between real and virtual images.
3. Write any two precautions taken by you while conducting an experiment to find image
distances for different object distances using
4. What happens, if concave lens is used as magnifier instead of convex lens in micro
scope?
5. Complete the following diagrams.
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 C
C2 , FF21, F
F1 C
C1 CC1 F1
F F
F2 C2
C
1 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1,

6. Magnification of an image formed due to a convex lens is -1.5. Guess and write the
position of object and image.
7. Draw a ray diagram to obtain an image formed due to a concave lens, when object
placed between centre of curvature and focus on the principal axis.
8. How do you differentiate between convex and concave lens?
Essay Type Questions
1. Write rules to draw ray diagrams for image formation by lenses.
2. Draw ray diagrams to obtain images, when object placed at centre of curvature and focus
on the principal axis or convex lens, and also write characteristics of images.
3. Write the names of the apparatus which are used in the experiment to find image
distances for different object distances using convex lens. also write experimental
procedure.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Identify convexo-concave lens in the following ( )
A) B) C) D)

2. A parallel beam of light incident on a convex lens, after refraction they converge to a
point on the principal axis at 15 cm. Focal length of the lens is ( )
A) 5 cm B) 7.5 cm C) 15 cm D) 30 cm
3. Magnification of an image formed due to a lens is -0.75. Then the image is ( )
A)Real, Magnified B) Real, diminished
C) Virtual, Magnified D) Virtual, Diminished 30 cm
4. Which of the following light ray is undeviated, when its incident on convex lens ( )
A) Ray passing through “C1” B) Ray passing through “F 1”
C)Ray passing through “P” D) Ray passing parallel to principal axis
5. An object placed between centre of curvature and focus of convex lens, then the signs
of object distance and image distance respectively are ( )
A) +, - B) +, + C)-, - D) -, +

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