Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

Class XII Physics

Ray Optics: Reflection
Reflection of Light

When a ray of light after incident on a boundary separating two media comes back into the same media, then
this phenomenon, is called reflection of light.

Normal
 ∠i = ∠r
Incident ray Reflected ray  After reflection, velocity, wave length and frequency
of light remains same but intensity decreases
i r  There is a phase change of  if reflection takes place
Boundary from denser medium

After reflection velocity, wavelength and frequency of light remains same but intensity decreases.
If light ray incident normally on a surface, after reflection it retraces the path.

Real and virtual images

If light rays, after reflection or refraction, actually meets at a point then real image is formed and if they appears
to meet virtual image is formed.

(Real image)
I Real image
O I
(Virtual object)
(Real image) (Virtual object)

(Real object)
O I
(Virtual image)
(Real object) (Virtual image) (Virtual image)

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

Plane Mirror.
The image formed by a plane mirror is virtual, erect, laterally inverted, equal in size that of the object and at a
distance equal to the distance of the object in front of the mirror.

x x

(1) Deviation : Deviation produced by a plane mirror and by two inclined plane mirrors.

Final path
 2
i r Original path 
 

 = (180 – 2i)  = (180 – 2)

(2) Rotation : If a plane mirror is rotated in the plane of incidence through angle , by keeping the incident ray
fixed, the reflected ray turned through an angle 2.

IR
IR RR 
 
RR

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

(3) Images by two inclined plane mirrors : When two plane mirrors are inclined to each other at an angle ,
then number of images (n) formed of an object which is kept between them.
 360  360
(i) n= − 1  ; If = even integer
   

360
(ii) If = odd integer then there are two possibilities


(a) Object is placed symmetrically (b) Object is placed asymmetrically

Object
Object
/2 
/2 

 360  360
n= − 1 n=
   

❑ If θ = 0o i.e. mirrors are parallel to each other so n =  i.e. infinite images will be formed.
360
❑ If θ = 90o, n = −1 = 3
90
360
❑ If θ = 72o, n = − 1 = 4 (If nothing is said object is supposed to be symmetrically placed).
72

(4) Other important informations

(i) When the object moves with speed u towards (or away) from the plane mirror then image also moves toward
(or away) with speed u. But relative speed of image w.r.t. object is 2u.

(ii) When mirror moves towards the stationary object with speed u, the image will move with speed 2u.

O I O I

u u Rest 2u
u
Mirror at rest Mirror is moving

(iii) A man of height h requires a mirror of length at least equal to h/2, to see his own complete image.

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

Example: A plane mirror makes an angle of 30o with horizontal. If a vertical ray strikes the mirror, find the angle between
mirror and reflected ray

(a) 30o (b) 45o (c) 60o (d) 90o

Solution : (c) Since angle between mirror and normal is 90o and reflected ray (RR) makes an IR
angle of 30o with the normal so required angle will be  = 60 . o
30o
30o
RR
 = 60o
30o

Example: Two vertical plane mirrors are inclined at an angle of 60 o with each other. A ray of light travelling horizontally
is reflected first from one mirror and then from the other. The resultant deviation is
(a) 60o (b) 120o (c) 180o (d) 240o

Solution : (d) By using  = (360 − 2 )   = 360 − 2  60 = 240 o

Example: A ray of light makes an angle of 10o with the horizontal above it and strikes a plane mirror which is inclined at
an angle  to the horizontal. The angle  for which the reflected ray becomes vertical is
(a) 40o (b) 50o (c) 80o (d) 100o
Solution : (a) From figure Vertical RR
 +  + 10 = 90
  = 40 o  IR

10o Horizontal line

Plane mirror

Example: A ray of light incident on the first mirror parallel to the second and is reflected from the second mirror parallel
to first mirror. The angle between two mirrors is
(a) 30o (b) 60o (c) 75o (d) 90o

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

Solution : (b) From geometry of figure

 +  +  = 180 o 
  = 60 o

  

Example: A ray reflected successively from two plane mirrors inclined at a certain angle undergoes a deviation of 300 o.
The number of images observable are
(a) 10 (b) 11 (c) 12 (d) 13
Solution : (b) By using  = (360 − 2 )  300 = 360 − 2
360
  = 30 o . Hence number of images = − 1 = 11
30

Curved Mirror.
It is a part of a transparent hollow sphere whose one surface is polished.

C P P C
F F
Principle axis

Converges the light rays Diverges the light rays

(1) Some definitions :

(i) Pole (P) : Mid point of the mirror

(ii) Centre of curvature (C) : Centre of the sphere of which the mirror is a part.

(iii) Radius of curvature (R) : Distance between pole and centre of curvature.
(Rconcave = –ve , Rconvex = +ve , Rplane = )

(iv) Principal axis : A line passing through P and C.

(v) Focus (F) : An image point on principle axis for which object is at 

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

(vi) Focal length (f) : Distance between P and F.

R
(vii) Relation between f and R : f= (fconcare = –ve , fconvex = + ve , fplane =  )
2

(viii) Power : The converging or diverging ability of mirror

(ix) Aperture :Effective diameter of light reflecting area. Intensity of image  Area  (Aperture)2

(x) Focal plane : A plane passing from focus and perpendicular to principle axis.

(2) Rules of image formation and sign convention :

Rule (i) Rule (ii) Rule (iii)

F F F F C C

(3) Sign conventions :

(i) All distances are measured from the pole. Incident ray
+
(ii) Distances measured in the direction of incident rays are taken as
positive while in the direction opposite of incident rays are taken negative. – +

(iii) Distances above the principle axis are taken positive and below the Principle
axis
principle axis are taken negative. Mirror or Lens –

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

(4) Position, size and nature of image formed by the spherical mirror

Mirror Location of the Location of the Magnification, Nature

object image Size of the image
Real Erect
virtual inverted
(a) Concave At infinity At focus i.e. v = f m << 1, diminished Real inverted
i.e. u = ∞
Away from centre of Between f and 2f i.e. m < 1, diminished Real inverted
curvature (u > 2f) f < v < 2f
At centre of At centre of m = 1, same size as Real inverted
C F P curvature u = 2f curvature i.e. v = 2f that of the object

Between centre of Away from the centre m > 1, magnified Real inverted
curvature and focus : of curvature
F < u < 2f v > 2f
At focus i.e. u = f At infinity i.e. v = ∞ m = ∞, magnified Real inverted
Between pole and v>u m > 1 magnified Virtual erect
focus u < f
(b) Convex At infinity i.e. u = ∞ At focus i.e., v = f m < 1, diminished Virtual erect

P F C
 Anywhere between Between pole and
m < 1, diminished Virtual erect
infinity and pole focus

Mirror formula and magnification.

For a spherical mirror if u = Distance of object from pole, v = distance of image from pole, f = Focal length, R =
Radius of curvature, O = Size of object, I = size of image, m = magnification (or linear magnification ), ms = Areal
magnification, A o = Area of object, A i = Area of image
1 1 1
(1) Mirror formula : = + ; (use sign convention while solving the problems).
f v u
Size of object
(2) Magnification : m =
Size of image

Linear magnification
Areal magnification
Transverse Longitudinal
When a object is placed When object lies along the principle axis
perpendicular to the principle then its longitudinal magnification
axis, then linear magnification is I −(v 2 − v1 )
called lateral or transverse m= = b
mb
O (u2 − u1 )
magnification. a
2 ma
It is given by dv  v 
If object is small; m = − = 
du  u  If a 2D-object is placed with it's plane
I v f f −v perpendicular to principle axis
m = =− = =
O u f −u f Also Length of
2 It's Areal magnification
(* Always use sign convention v 
image =    Length of object (L 0 ) Area of image ( A i ) ma  mb
while solving the problems) u  Ms = = = m2
Area of object ( A o ) ab

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

2 Ai
 f   ms = m 2 =
(L i ) =   .L o
u − f  Ao

Note : ❑ Don't put the sign of quantity which is to be determined.

❑ If a spherical mirror produces an image ‘m’ times the size of the object (m = magnification) then u,
v and f are given by the followings
m −1  m 
u=  f , v = − (m − 1) f and f =   u (use sign convention)
 m   m − 1) 

(3) Uses of mirrors

(i) Concave mirror : Used as a shaving mirror, In search light, in cinema projector, in telescope, by E.N.T.
specialists etc.

(ii) Convex mirror : In road lamps, side mirror in vehicles etc.

Different graphs
1 1
Graph between and
v u
(a) Real image formed by (b) Virtual image formed by (c) Virtual image formed by
concave mirror concave mirror convex mirror

Graph between u and v for real Graph between u and m for Graph between u and m for
image of concave mirror virtual image by concave mirror virtual image by convex mirror.

Hyperbola
m m
2f

f 1 1

f 2f f u u

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

Example: A convex mirror of focal length f forms an image which is 1/n times the object. The distance of the object from
the mirror is
n −1 n +1
(a) (n – 1) f (b)  f (c)  f (d) (n + 1) f
 n   n 

f
Solution : (a) By using m =
f −u
1 1 +f
Here m = + , f → +f So, + =  u = −(n − 1) f
n n + f −u
Example: An object 5 cm tall is placed 1 m from a concave spherical mirror which has a radius of curvature of 20 cm. The
size of the image is

(a) 0.11 cm (b) 0.50 cm (c) 0.55 cm (d) 0.60 cm

I f
Solution : (c) By using =
O f −u
R
Here O + 5 cm , f =− = −10 cm , u = −1 m = − 100 cm
2
I −10
So, =  I = – 0.55 cm.
+ 5 − 10 − (−100 )

Example: An object of length 2.5 cm is placed at a distance of 1.5 f from a concave mirror where f is the magnitude of the
focal length of the mirror. The length of the object is perpendicular to the principle axis. The length of the image
is
(a) 5 cm, erect (b) 10 cm, erect (c) 15 cm, erect (d) 5 cm, inverted

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI

 Ray Optics : Reflection By: KAPIL TYAGI

I f
Solution : (d) By using = ; where I = ? , O = + 2.5 cm. f → − f , u = – 1.5 f
O f −u
I −f
 =  I = −5 cm . (Negative sign indicates that image is inverted.)
+ 2 . 5 − f − (−1 . 5 f )

Example: A convex mirror has a focal length f. A real object is placed at a distance f in front of it from the pole produces
an image at
(a) Infinity (b) f (c) f / 2 (d) 2f

1 1 1 1 1 1 f
Solution : (c) By using = +  = + v=
f v u + f v (− f ) 2

Example: A convex mirror of focal length 10 cm is placed in water. The refractive index of water is 4/3. What will be the
focal length of the mirror in water
(a) 10 cm (b) 40/3 cm (c) 30/4 cm (d) None of these

Solution : (a) No change in focal length, because f depends only upon radius of curvature R.

Example: A candle flame 3 cm is placed at distance of 3 m from a wall. How far from wall must a concave mirror be placed
in order that it may form an image of flame 9 cm high on the wall
(a) 225 cm (b) 300 cm (c) 450 cm (d) 650 cm

Solution : (c) Let the mirror be placed at a distance x from wall

3cm
By using
I −v −9 − (− x )
=  =  x = −4.5m = − 450 cm .
+ 3 − (x − 3 )
3m (x–3)m
O u
x

Example: A thin rod of length f / 3 lies along the axis of a concave mirror of focal length f. One end of its magnified image
touches an end of the rod. The length of the image is
1 1
(a) f (b) f (c) 2 f (d) f
2 4

f 5f
Solution : (b) If end A of rod acts an object for mirror then it's image will be A' and if u = 2 f − =
3 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 5 2f
So by using = +  = +  v=− f
f v u − f v −5f 2 f/3 u = 2f – (f/3)
3 A
F
5 f A' C
 Length of image = f − 2f =
2 2
v

Physics Class XII By: KAPIL TYAGI