SPH 103: OPTICS

INSTRUCTION:

 Attempt ALL questions in section A and ANY TWO questions from section B.
Use ℎ = 6.626 × 10−34 Js, and 𝑐 = 3 × 108 m/s where necessary

SECTION A: COMPULSORY
QUESTION ONE: 30 MARKS
a) Give one reason why the sky appears blue. [1 mark]
A. More red light than blue light is absorbed by air atoms
B. Red light is reflected by the atmosphere
C. Blue light is scattered to a greater extent than red light
D. Higher energy waves have higher power
b) Distinguish between diffraction and optical rotation? [2 mark]
c) State Huygen’s principle. [1 mark]
d) Study Figure 1.1 and answer the question that follows.

Figure 1.1: Reflection types at different surfaces

Name the types of reflection listed in Figure 1.1. [2 marks]
e) Distinguish between dichroism and interferometry. [2 marks]
f) The electric field strength 𝐸 of a plane electromagnetic wave varies following the expression
𝜋
𝐸(𝑧, 𝑡) = 20 cos [(8𝜋 × 1014 )𝑡 − (4𝜋 × 106 )𝑧 + ] 𝑉 m−1 . Determine the linear frequency 𝑓,
2

wavelength 𝜆, and velocity 𝑣 of the wave. [3 marks]

g) Which of the following statements is/are correct? [1 mark]
I. A long-sighted person cannot focus sharply at near objects
II. In a short-sighted person’s eye, rays from a distant object focus behind the retina

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 III. As lens power increases, the focal length decreases
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I and III only
D. II and III only
h) An object is placed 10 cm from a converging lens of focal length 15 cm as shown in Figure 1.2.
Study it and answer the question that follows.

Figure 1.2: Image formation on a converging lens

Which one of the following statements is true about the image formed in Figure 1.2? [1 mark]
A. Inverted and same size as the object
B. Inverted and larger than the object
C. Inverted and smaller than the object
D. Upright and smaller than the object
E. Upright and larger than the object
i) State the principle of superposition of waves. [1 mark]
j) Which one of the following waves is a longitudinal wave? [1 mark]
A. Microwave
B. Radio wave
C. Sound wave
D. Light wave
E. Water wave
k) Which of the following diagrams shows the focusing of rays of light from a distant object by the
eye of a long-sighted person? [1 mark]

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l) Figure 1.3 shows sparkling in diamond as a consequence of total internal reflection. Study it and
answer the question that follows.

Figure 1.3: Sparkling in diamond

Briefly explain the sparkling phenomenon in diamond. [2 marks]
m) Figure 1.4 shows a ray of light being refracted through different media (m𝑖 , 𝑖 = 1, 2, 3) of different
refractive indices (𝑛m𝑖 , m𝑖 = m1 , m2 , m3 ). Study it and answer the question that follows.

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 air 38.2

𝑛 = 1.4
m1 2

m2 22

m3 = 3 cm

air

Figure 1.4: Refraction of light in multiple media.

Find the refractive index of m3 with respect to m1 and calculate the apparent depth in m3 .
[4 marks]
n) Determine the change ∆𝑣 of the phase velocity of light propagation due to refraction at the
interface between glass (𝑛1 = 1.5) and water (𝑛2 = 1.33), and the ratio of wavelengths 𝜆1 /𝜆2 .
[2 marks]
o) Determine the conditions under which an elliptically polarized wave becomes circularly polarized
after partial reflection from a dielectric. [2 marks]
p) A collimated beam of light travels from an optically denser dielectric medium through a plane
boundary into a less optically dense dielectric medium. Determine the critical angle 𝛼c of the beam
incidence at which total internal reflection occurs. The velocity of light propagation in the first
medium is 1.75 times smaller than in the second one. [2 marks]
q) Figure 1.5 shows two “point” sources of light, 𝑆 and 𝑆′, whose radiating waves maintain a fixed
phase relationship with each other as they travel outward. The emerging waves are in effect
spherical, but we show them as circular in the two-dimensional drawing. The solid circles
represent crests, the dashed circles, troughs. Study it and answer the question that follows.

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 Figure 1.5: Wave interference created by overlapping waves from sources S and S′
Describe what would have happened if the two ‘‘point’’ sources of light were random and
disorganized. [2 marks]

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 SECTION B: ATTEMPT ANY TWO QUESTIONS ONLY
QUESTION TWO: 20 MARKS
a) Figure 2.1 shows Young’s experiment of single light source passing through two slits. Study it
and answer the questions that follow.

Figure 2.1: Young’s experiment; (a) Single source of light through double slit, (b)
Calculation of path difference, 𝜹.

i. State two conditions to be satisfied for visible interference to take place. [2 marks]
ii. Show how 𝛿 is calculated from Figure 2.1 (b). [5 marks]
b) Figure 2.2 shows reflection at absorption free single layers with different refractive indices and
thicknesses on glass substrates that depends on the wavelength of impinging light. Study it and
answer the question that follows.

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 Figure 2.2: Reflection (𝑹 %) against wavelength (𝝀 nm) on glass substrates; reference
wavelength, 𝝀 = 𝟓𝟓𝟎 𝐧𝐦
What happens to reflection (𝑅 %) for 𝑛1 = 𝑛2 , 𝑛1 < 𝑛2 , and 𝑛1 > 𝑛2 ? State the conditions
that must be satisfied for the reflection to be zero or near zero. [5 marks]
c) A step-index fiber 0.0025 inch in diameter has a core index of 1.53 and a cladding index of 1.39
as shown in Figure 2.3. Such clad fibers are used frequently in applications involving
communication, sensing, and imaging. Study it and answer the question that follows.

Cladding, 𝑛 = 1.39
Air, 𝑛 = 1.00

m c
Fiber core, 𝑛 = 1.53
m
Cladding, 𝑛 = 1.39
Fiber face
Figure 2.3: Clad fiber
What is the maximum acceptance angle m for a cone of light rays incident on the fiber face such
that the refracted ray in the core of the fiber is incident on the cladding at the critical angle c ?
[8 marks]

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 QUESTION THREE: 20 MARKS
a) Distinguish between optics and Fermat’s principle. [2 marks]
b) What is defocus in optical instruments? List down any four types of defocus in optical instruments.
[5 marks]
c) A ray of light is directed at a glass cube of side 𝑎, refractive index 𝑛, to eventually form a spot on
a screen beyond the cube as shown in Figure 3.1. The cube is rotating at an angular speed 𝜔.

Figure 3.1: Ray of light directed at a glass cube of side 𝒂 and refractive index 𝒏

When the angle of incidence is , the speed of the spot on the screen is given by;
𝑛2 cos 2 + sin4
𝑣 = 𝑎𝜔 (cos − )
(𝑛2 − sin2 )3/2
and that the greatest displacement of the spot on the screen from the undisplaced ray is given by;
𝑎 1
𝐷= (1 − √𝑛2 ).
√2 −sin2 𝜃
1 𝑎
State the necessary conditions to be satisfied for 𝑣 = 𝑎𝜔, 𝐷 = and 𝑣 = 0.8944𝑎𝜔. [5 marks]
3 3√2

d) List down any four examples of refraction of light. [4 marks]

e) Briefly describe the formation of a mirage. [4 marks]

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 QUESTION FOUR: 20 MARKS
a) List down any four types of diffraction grating and state any eight factors to consider when
choosing a diffraction grating. [6 marks]
cos 𝜃𝑡 sin 𝜃𝑡 −cos 𝜃𝑖 sin 𝜃𝑖 2
b) For p-polarized light, you are given that 𝑅𝑝 = | | and
cos 𝜃𝑡 sin 𝜃𝑡 +cos 𝜃𝑖 sin 𝜃𝑖

𝑛𝑡 cos 𝜃𝑡 2 cos 𝜃𝑖 sin 𝜃𝑡 2

𝑇𝑝 = | | . Show analytically that 𝑅𝑝 + 𝑇𝑝 = 1. [8 marks]
𝑛𝑖 cos 𝜃𝑖 cos 𝜃𝑡 sin 𝜃𝑡 +cos 𝜃𝑖 sin 𝜃𝑖

c) Unpolarized light is incident on a pair of polarizers as shown in Figure 4.1. Study it and answer
the questions that follow.

Figure 4.1: Controlling light intensity with a pair of polarizers

i. Determine the angle required between the transmission axes of polarizers 1 and 2 that
will reduce the intensity of light 𝐼0 incident on polarizer 2 by 50 %. [3 marks]
ii. For this same reduction, determine by how much the field 𝐸0 incident on polarizer 2 has
been reduced. [3 marks]

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 QUESTION FIVE: 20 MARKS
a) A student uses a lens of focal length 200 mm to produce a bright, sharp image of a lamp filament
on a piece of white card. The lamp filament is positioned at a distance of 300 mm from the lens.
The student completes an accurate scale diagram of this experiment on the graph paper shown in
Figure 5.1. Study it and answer the questions that follow.

Figure 5.1: Scale diagram for image formation on a convex lens

i. What is the image distance? [1 mark]
ii. Compare the object and image heights. [1 mark]
iii. State one other difference between the object and the image formed. [1 mark]
b) Distinguish between incandescent and fluorescent sources of light. [2 marks]
c) Write down the lens maker’s equation and define all the symbols in it. [1 mark]
d) Briefly discuss the camera lens with respect to its 𝑓- number. [5 marks]
e) Table 5.1 shows standard symbols for polarized light. Name the types of polarizations a, b and c.
[3 marks]

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 Table 5.1: Standard symbols for polarized light

f) A double-slit source with slit separation 0.2 mm is located 1.2 m from a screen. The distance
between successive bright fringes on the screen is measured to be 3.30 mm. What is the
wavelength of the light? Determine how the average intensity of light, 𝐼𝐴𝑉 , along the screen at
position y varies along the screen as a function of y. [6 marks]

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