Chapter 14 Refraction

Conceptual Questions

1) A light beam has speed c in vacuum and speed v in a certain plastic. The index of refraction n
of this plastic is
A) n = cv.
B) n = (v/c)2.
C) n = v/c.
D) n = c/v.
E) n = (c/v)2.
Answer: D

2) If the index of refraction of a material is 2, this means that light travels

A) 2 times as fast in air as it does in vacuum.
B) 2 times as fast in the material as it does in air.
C) 2 times as fast in vacuum as it does in the material.
D) 2 times as fast in the material than it does in vacuum.
E) 1/2 as fast in air as it does in the material.
Answer: C

3) Light enters air from water. The angle of refraction will be

A) greater than the angle of incidence.
B) equal to the angle of incidence.
C) less than the angle of incidence.
Answer: A

4) Light enters glass from air. The angle of refraction will be

A) greater than the angle of incidence.
B) equal to the angle of incidence.
C) less than the angle of incidence.
Answer: C

5) The index of refraction of a type of glass is 1.50, and the index of refraction of water is 1.33.
If light enters water from this glass, the angle of refraction will be
A) greater than the angle of incidence.
B) equal to the angle of incidence.
C) less than the angle of incidence.
Answer: A

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6) Light goes from material having a refractive index of n1 into a material with refractive index
n2. If the refracted light is bent away from the normal, what can you conclude about the indices
of refraction?
A) n1 > n2
B) n1 ≥ n2
C) n1 < n2
D) n1 ≤ n2
E) n1 = n2
Answer: A

7) A beam of light traveling in air strikes a glass slab at an angle of incidence less than 90°. After
entering the glass slab, what does the beam of light do? (There could be more than one correct
choice.)
A) I follow the same path as before it struck the glass.
B) It follows the normal to the glass slab.
C) It bends away from the normal at the point of contact.
D) It bends closer to the normal at the point of contact.
E) It slows down.
Answer: D, E

8) The critical angle for a beam of light passing from water into air is 48.8°. This means that all
light rays with an angle of incidence in the water that is greater than 48.8° will be
A) totally absorbed by the water.
B) totally reflected.
C) partially reflected and partially transmitted.
D) totally transmitted.
Answer: B

9) Which statements about images are correct? (There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) A virtual image cannot be formed on a screen.
B) A virtual image cannot be viewed by the unaided eye.
C) A virtual image cannot be photographed.
D) A real image must be erect.
E) Mirrors always produce real images because they reflect light.
Answer: A

10) Which of the following terms describe lenses that are thinner at the center than at the edges?
(There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) converging lenses
B) diverging lenses
C) concave lenses
D) convex lenses
Answer: B, C

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11) Which of the following terms describe lenses that are thicker at the center than at the edges?
(There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) converging lenses
B) diverging lenses
C) concave lenses
D) convex lenses
Answer: A, D

12) A convex lens has focal length f. If an object is located at "infinity" (very far away), the
image formed is located at a distance from the lens
A) of 2f.
B) between f and 2f.
C) of f.
D) between the lens and f.
E) of infinity.
Answer: C

13) A convex lens has focal length f. If an object is placed at a distance of 2f from the lens on
the principal axis, the image is located at a distance from the lens
A) of 2f.
B) between f and 2f.
C) of f.
D) between the lens and f.
E) of infinity.
Answer: A

14) A convex lens has focal length f. If an object is placed at a distance between f and 2f from
the lens on the principal axis, the image is located at a distance from the lens
A) of 2f.
B) between f and 2f.
C) of f.
D) that is greater than 2f.
E) of infinity.
Answer: D

15) A convex lens has focal length f. If an object is placed at a distance beyond 2f from the lens
on the principal axis, the image is located at a distance from the lens
A) of 2f.
B) between f and 2f.
C) of f.
D) between the lens and f.
E) of infinity.
Answer: B

16) If a object is placed between a convex lens and its focal point, the image formed is
A) virtual and upright.
B) virtual and inverted.
C) real and upright.
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D) real and inverted.
Answer: A

17) Starting from very far away, an object is moved closer and closer to a converging lens,
eventually reaching the lens. What happens to its image formed by that lens? (There could be
more than one correct choice.)
A) The image gets closer and closer to the lens.
B) The image gets farther and farther from the lens.
C) The image eventually changes from virtual to real.
D) The image eventually changes from real to virtual.
E) The image keeps getting larger and larger.
Answer: D

18) Starting from very far away, an object is moved closer and closer to a diverging lens,
eventually reaching the lens. What happens to its image formed by that lens? (There could be
more than one correct choice.)
A) The image gets closer and closer to the lens.
B) The image gets farther and farther from the lens.
C) The image always remains virtual.
D) The image eventually changes from real to virtual.
E) The image keeps getting larger and larger.
Answer: A, C, E

19) Which of following statements about the image formed by a single converging lens are true?
(There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) The image is always real.
B) The image is always virtual.
C) The image is always inverted.
D) The image is always upright.
E) None of the above choices are correct.
Answer: E

20) Which of following statements about the image formed by a single diverging lens are true?
(There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) The image is always real.
B) The image is always virtual.
C) The image is always inverted.
D) The image is always upright.
E) The image is always smaller than the object.
Answer: B, D

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21) Is it possible to see a virtual image?
A) No, since the rays that seem to emanate from a virtual image do not in fact emanate from the
image.
B) No, since virtual images do not really exist.
C) Yes because the rays that appear to come from a virtual image can be focused by the eye just
like those from an object.
D) Yes, but only by using an additional lens to form a real image before the light reaches the eye.
Answer: C

22) An object is placed on the left side of a thin lens, and the image of this object is formed on
the left side of the lens. Which of the following statements must be true? (There could be more
than one correct choice.)
A) The lens must be a diverging lens, and the image is upright.
B) The lens must be a converging lens, and the image is upright.
C) The image is upright and virtual.
D) The lens could be either a converging or a diverging lens, and the image is upright.
E) The image is inverted and real.
Answer: C, D

23) If a single lens forms a virtual image of an object, then

A) the lens must be a diverging lens.
B) the lens must be a converging lens.
C) the lens could be either a diverging or a converging lens.
D) the image must be inverted.
E) the object must be between the lens and its focal point.
Answer: C

24) Which statement about a single thin lens is correct?

A) A converging lens always produces a real inverted image.
B) A diverging lens always produces a virtual inverted image.
C) A converging lens sometimes produces a real upright image.
D) A diverging lens always produces a virtual upright image.
E) A diverging lens produces a virtual upright image only if the object is located between the
lens and its focal point.
Answer: D

25) An object is placed in front of a thin lens. Which statements are correct in describing the
image formed by the lens? (There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) If the lens is convex, the image will never be virtual.
B) If the image is real, then it is also inverted.
C) If the image is real, then it is also upright.
D) If the lens is concave, the image must be virtual.
E) If the lens is convex, the image must be real.
Answer: B, D

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26) The image formed by a single concave lens
A) is always real.
B) is always virtual.
C) could be real or virtual, depending on whether the object distance is smaller or greater than
the focal length.
D) could be real or virtual, but is always real when the object is placed at the focal point.
E) is always inverted.
Answer: B

27) Light having a speed in vacuum of 3.0 × 108 m/s enters a liquid of refractive index 2.0. In
this liquid, its speed will be
A) 6.0 × 108 m/s.
B) 3.0 × 108 m/s.
C) 1.5 × 108 m/s.
D) 0.75 × 108 m/s.
E) 0.67 × 108 m/s.
Answer: C

28) The speed of light in a certain material is measured to be 2.2 × 108 m/s. What is the index of
refraction of this material? (c = 3.0 × 108 m/s)
A) 1.1
B) 1.2
C) 1.4
D) 1.6
E) 1.8
Answer: C

29) The index of refraction of a certain glass is measured to be 1.5. What is the speed of light in
that glass? (c = 3.0 × 108 m/s)
A) 1.0 × 108 m/s
B) 2.0 × 108 m/s
C) 3.0 × 108 m/s
D) 4.0 × 108 m/s
E) 5.0 × 108 m/s
Answer: B

30) A thin beam of light enters a thick plastic sheet from air at an angle of 32.0° with the normal
and continues in the sheet at an angle of 23.0° with the normal. What is the index of refraction
of the plastic?
A) 0.74
B) 1.11
C) 1.28
D) 1.36
Answer: D

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31) An oil layer that is 5.0 cm thick is spread smoothly and evenly over the surface of water on a
windless day. A light ray from the air above enters the oil at 45° with the normal and then goes
into the water. What is the angle of refraction of this ray in the water? The index of refraction
for the oil is 1.15, and for water it is 1.33.
A) 27°
B) 32°
C) 36°
D) 39°
Answer: B

32) A beam of light, traveling in air, strikes a plate of transparent material at an angle of
incidence of 56.0°. It is observed that the reflected and refracted beams form an angle of 90.0°.
What is the index of refraction of this material?
A) 1.40
B) 1.43
C) 1.44
D) 1.48
Answer: D
33) A beam of light traveling in air strikes a slab of transparent material. The incident beam
makes an angle of 40° with the normal, and the refracted beam make an angle of 26° with the
normal. What is the speed of light in the transparent material? (c = 3.0 × 108 m/s)
A) 1.0 × 108 m/s
B) 2.0 × 108 m/s
C) 2.3 × 108 m/s
D) 3.0 × 108 m/s
E) 0.50 × 108 m/s
Answer: B
34) A light ray in air strikes a glass plate whose index of refraction is 1.42. Some of the light
reflects off the surface of the plate, but most of it enters the glass. If the angle of refraction is
one-half the angle of reflection, the angle of refraction is closest to which one of the following
angles?
A) 45°
B) 43°
C) 41°
D) 39°
E) 37°
Answer: A
35) A thin flashlight beam traveling in air strikes a glass plate at an angle of 52° with the plane
of the surface of the plate. If the index of refraction of the glass is 1.4, what angle will the beam
make with the normal in the glass?
A) 34°
B) 64°
C) 26°
D) 56°
E) 38°
Answer: C
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36) A glass plate with an index of refraction is 1.57 is immersed in an oil having a refractive
index of 1.40. The surface of the glass is inclined at an angle of 54° with the vertical. A
horizontal light ray in the glass strikes the interface. What is the angle that the refracted ray, in
the oil, makes with the horizontal?
A) 11°
B) 5.6°
C) 8.3°
D) 14°
E) 17°
Answer: A

37) A light ray in glass arrives at the glass-water interface an an angle of θ = 48° with the
normal. The refracted ray in water makes an angle φ = 72° angle with the normal, as shown in
the figure. The index of refraction of water is 1.33. The angle of incidence is now changed to θ =
37°. What is the new angle of refraction φ in the water?

A) 50°
B) 48°
C) 46°
D) 52°
E) 54°
Answer: B

38) A light ray in glass arrives at the glass-water interface at an angle of θ = 48° with the normal.
The refracted ray in water makes an angle θ = 61° with the normal, as shown in the figure. The
index of refraction of water is 1.33. The angle of incidence is now changed to θ = 25°. What is
the new angle of refraction φ in the water?

A) 30°
B) 56°
C) 54°
D) 60°
E) 62°
Answer: A

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39) As shown in the figure, a laser positioned on a ship is used to communicate with a small
research submarine resting on the bottom of a lake. The laser is positioned 12 m above the
surface of the water, and it strikes the water 20 m from the side of the ship. The water is 58 m
deep and has an index of refraction of 1.33. How far horizontally is the submarine from the side
of the ship? (Assume all numbers are accurate to three significant figures.)

A) 69 m
B) 49 m
C) 89 m
D) 59 m
E) 79 m
Answer: A

40) A flashlight beam makes an angle of 60° with the plane of the surface of a calm lake before it
enters the water. In the water what angle does the beam make with the plane of the surface? The
index of refraction of water is 1.33.
A) 0°
B) 30°
C) 60°
D) 22°
E) 68°
Answer: E

41) A beam of light in water (of refractive index of 1.33) enters a glass slab (of refractive index
1.50) at an angle of incidence of 60.0°. What is the angle of refraction in the glass?
A) 27.5°
B) 39.8°
C) 60.0°
D) 90.0°
E) 50.2°
Answer: E

42) A beam of light in air enters a glass slab with an index of refraction of 1.40 at an angle of
incidence of 30.0°. What is the angle of refraction?
A) 20.9°
B) 47.5°
C) 51.8°
D) 30.0°
E) 14.9°
Answer: A
43) The critical angle for a substance in air is measured at 53.7°. If light enters this substance
from air at 45.0° with the normal, at what angle with the normal will it continues to travel?
A) 34.7°
B) 45.0°
C) 53.7°
D) It will not continue, but will be totally reflected.
Answer: A
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44) Light enters a substance from air at 30.0° to the normal. It continues within the substance at
23.0° to the normal. What is the critical angle for this substance when it is surrounded by air?
A) 53°
B) 51.4°
C) 36.7°
D) 12.6°
Answer: B

45) Light travels from crown glass, with a refractive index of 1.52, into water, having a refractive
index of 1.33? The critical angle for this interface is closest to which one of the following
angles?
A) 42°
B) 48°
C) 53°
D) 57°
E) 61°
Answer: E

46) Lucite has an index of refraction of 1.50. What is its critical angle if it is in air?
A) 1.16°
B) 15°
C) 41.8°
D) 65.2°
E) 87.4°
Answer: C

47) An optic fiber is made of clear plastic with an index of refraction of 1.50. For what range of
angles of incidence θ with the lateral surface of the fiber will light remain inside the plastic
"guide" if it is surrounded by air?
A) 21.1° < θ < 90°
B) 23.4° < θ < 90°
C) 38.3° < θ < 90°
D) 40.3° < θ < 90°
E) 41.8° < θ < 90°
Answer: E

48) A glass plate having an index of refraction is 1.66 is immersed in a certain alcohol. The
surface of the glass is inclined at an angle of 44° with the vertical. When a horizontal ray in the
glass strikes the interface, you observe that it is at the critical angle. What is the index of
refraction of the alcohol?
A) 1.15
B) 1.13
C) 1.11
D) 1.09
E) 1.17
Answer: A

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49) During the investigation of a new type of optical fiber having an index of refraction
a laser beam is aimed at the flat end of a straight fiber, as shown in the figure. What is
the maximum angle of incidence θ1 if the beam is not to escape from the sides of the fiber if it is
surrounded by air?
A) 42.9°
B) 39.8°
C) 36.7°
D) 33.6°
E) 30.5°
Answer: A

50) A light beam is traveling inside a glass block that has an index of refraction of 1.46. As this
light arrives at the surface of the block, it makes an angle of 53.0° with the normal. At what
angle with the normal in the air will it leave the block?
A) It will not leave.
B) 59.1°
C) 43.2°
D) 33.2°
Answer: A

51) A scuba diver is 1.2 m beneath the surface of a still pond of water. At what angle relative to
the normal at the surface must the diver shine a beam of light toward the surface in order for a
person on a distant bank to be able to see it? The index of refraction for water is 1.33.
A) 41°
B) 48°
C) 59°
D) 90°
E) 0°
Answer: B

52) A ray of light in glass strikes a water-glass interface at an angle of incidence equal to one-
half the critical angle for that interface. The index of refraction for water is 1.33, and for the
glass it is 1.43. What angle does the refracted ray in the water make with the normal?
A) 37°
B) 42°
C) 47°
D) 32°
E) 27°
Answer: A

53) The speed of light in a material is What is the critical angle of a light ray at the
interface between the material and a vacuum?
A) 24°
B) 17°
C) 19°
D) 22°
Answer: A

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54) A tank holds a layer of oil, of thickness To = 1.43 m, that floats on a layer of syrup of
thickness Ts = 0.640 m, as shown in the figure. Both liquids are clear and do not mix together. A
light ray, originating at the bottom of the tank at point P, crosses the oil-syrup interface at a point
0.900 m from the axis. The ray continues and arrives at the oil-air interface, 2.00 m to the right
of P and at the critical angle. What is the index of refraction of the oil?

A) 1.64
B) 1.62
C) 1.60
D) 1.66
E) 1.68
Answer: A

55) A tank holds a layer of oil, of thickness To = 1.65 m, that floats on a layer of syrup of
thickness Ts = 0.830 m, as shown in the figure. Both liquids are clear and do not mix together. A
light ray, originating at the bottom of the tank at point P, crosses the oil-syrup interface at a point
0.900 m from the axis. The ray continues and arrives at the oil-air interface, 2.00 m to the right
of P and at the critical angle. What is the index of refraction of the syrup?

A) 1.36
B) 1.25
C) 1.94
D) 1.75
E) 1.54
Answer: A
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56) A seed is 15 mm in front of a converging lens, and the image of the seed is 4.0 mm behind
the lens. What is the focal length of the lens?
A) 11 mm
B) 5.5 mm
C) 3.8 mm
D) 3.2 mm
Answer: B

57) A 14-mm tall postage stamp is 4.0 mm from a converging lens. If the image of the stamp is
4.0 mm tall, how far is it from the lens?
A) 14 mm
B) 8.7 mm
C) 1.4 mm
D) 1.1 mm
Answer: D

58) When a flower petal is 4.0 cm in front of a converging lens, the inverted image is half the
height of the petal. What is the focal length of this lens?
A) 1.3 cm
B) 2.0 cm
C) 4.0 cm
D) 5.3 cm
Answer: A

59) An image is 4.0 mm in front of a converging lens with focal length of magnitude 5.0 mm.
Where is the object for this image?
A) 2.2 mm in front of the lens
B) 2.2 mm behind the lens
C) 9.0 mm behind the lens
D) 20 mm in front of the lens
Answer: A

60) A plant that is 4.1 cm tall is 10.3 cm from a converging lens. You observe that the image of
this plant is virtual and 6.2 cm tall. What is the focal length of the lens?
A) 6.8 cm
B) -30 cm
C) 16 cm
D) 30 cm
E) -16 cm
Answer: D

61) A lab specimen is 15.2 mm from a converging lens. The image is 4.0 mm tall and 9.0 cm
from the lens. How tall is the specimen?
A) 6.8 mm
B) 5.4 mm
C) 1.7 mm
D) 0.68 mm
Answer: D
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62) A wrench is placed at 30 cm in front of a diverging lens with a focal length of magnitude 10
cm. What is the magnification of the wrench?
A) 0.25
B) -0.25
C) 0.67
D) -0.67
E) 4.0
Answer: A

63) A statue that is 10.4 cm tall is placed 4.8 cm in front of a concave lens. The image is 4.0 cm
from the lens. How tall is the image?
A) 13 cm
B) 8.7 cm
C) 5.4 cm
D) 1.8 cm
Answer: B

64) A cup that is 6.0 cm tall is in front of a concave lens. The image of the cup is 2.5 cm tall and
7.5 cm from the lens. What is the focal length of the lens?
A) -6.0 cm
B) -7.5 cm
C) -13 cm
D) +18 cm
E) +6.0 cm
Answer: C

65) A drawing is placed 40 cm in front of a thin lens. If a virtual image forms at a distance of 50
cm from the lens, on the same side as the drawing, what is the focal length of the lens?
A) -45 cm
B) 75 cm
C) 90 cm
D) 200 cm
Answer: D

66) How far from a lens having a focal length of +50 mm must the object be placed if it is to
form a virtual image that is 3.0 times the size of the object?
A) 33 mm
B) 42 mm
C) 48 mm
D) 54 mm
Answer: A
67) How far from a +50-mm focal length lens, such as is used in many 35-mm cameras, must an
object be placed so it will form a real image that is 3.0 times the size of the object?
A) 46 mm
B) 52 mm
C) 58 mm
D) 67 mm
Answer: D
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68) An object is placed 15 cm to the left of a double-convex lens of focal length 20 cm. Where is
the image of this object located?
A) 60 cm to the right of the lens
B) 60 cm to the left of the lens
C) 8.6 cm to the right of the lens
D) 8.6 cm to the left of the lens
E) 30 cm to the left of the lens
Answer: B
69) A 4.0-cm tall object is placed 60 cm in front of a converging lens of focal length of
magnitude 30 cm. What are the nature and location of the image?
A) The image is real, 2.5 cm tall, 30 cm on the same side as object.
B) The image is virtual, 2.5 cm tall, 30 cm on the other side of the lens.
C) The image is virtual, 2.0 cm tall, 15 cm on the other side of the lens.
D) The image is virtual, 4.0 cm tall, 60 cm on the same side as object.
E) The image is real, 4.0 cm tall, 60 cm on the other side of the lens.
Answer: E
70) An object is placed 10 cm from a convex lens with a focal length of magnitude 20 cm. What
is the magnification?
A) 0.50
B) -2.0
C) 1.5
D) 2.0
E) -2.5
Answer: D
71) An object is placed 60 cm from a convex lens with a focal length of magnitude 10 cm. What
is the magnification?
A) -0.10
B) 0.10
C) 0.15
D) 0.20
E) -0.20
Answer: E
72) A 4.0-cm-tall object is placed 50.0 cm from a diverging lens having a focal length of
magnitude 25.0 cm. What is the nature and location of the image?
A) a real image, 4.0 cm tall, 20 cm other side of the object
B) a virtual image, 4.0 cm tall, 20 cm other side of the object
C) a virtual image, 2.0 cm tall, 10 cm other side of the object
D) a virtual image, 1.3 cm tall, 16.7 cm same side as the object
E) a real image, 1.3 cm tall, 16.7 cm same side as the object
Answer: D
73) An object is placed 21 cm from a concave lens having a focal length of magnitude 25 cm.
What is the magnification?
A) -0.54
B) 0.54
C) -0.32
D) -0.22
E) 0.22
Answer: B
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