Short Answer Questions – I (PYQ)

Q. 1. An object AB is kept in front of a concave mirror as shown in the figure.

[CBSE (AI) 2012]

(i) Complete the ray diagram showing the image formation of the object.
(ii) How will the position and intensity of the image be affected if the lower half of
the mirror’s reflecting surface is painted black?
Ans. (i) Image formed will be inverted diminished between C and F.

(ii) No change in position of image and its intensity will get reduced.
Q. 2. A converging and a diverging lens of equal focal lengths are placed co-
axially in contact. Find the power and the focal length of the combination.
[CBSE (AI) 2010]
Ans. Let focal length of converging and diverging lenses be + f and – f respectively.
Q. 3. Explain why white light is dispersed while passing through a prism.
Ans. The refractive index of prism-material depends on the wavelength λ of light. It is

inversely proportional to square of wavelength i.e., n Accordingly refractive

index is maximum for violet (λ=4000 Å) and minimum for red (λ=7500Å). So the
deviation caused by prism f = (n –1) A is maximum for violet and minimum for red;
hence on passage through the prism; the different colours are separated; thus causing
dispersion of white light.
Q. 4. A convex lens is placed over a plane mirror. A pin is now positioned so that
there is no parallax between the pin and its image formed by this lens-mirror
combination. How will you use this observation to find focal length of the lens?
Explain briefly.
[CBSE East 2016]
Ans. Focal length = distance of the pin from the mirror.
Q. 5. Light from a point source in air falls on a convex spherical glass surface of
refractive index 1.5 and radius of curvature 20 cm. The distance of light source
from the glass surface is 100 cm. At what position is the image formed?
[CBSE Central 2016]
Ans. R = 20 cm, n2 = 1.5, n1 = 1 and u = –100 cm
A real image is formed on the other side at 100 cm away from the surface.
Q. 6. The radii of curvature of the faces of a double convex lens are 10 cm and 15
cm. If the focal length of the lens is 12 cm, find the refractive index of the material
of the lens. [CBSE Delhi 2010]
Ans. Given R1 = 10 cm, R2 = –15 cm, f = 12 cm
Lens Maker’s formula is

Q. 7. Calculate the distance d, so that a real image of an object at O, 15 cm in

front of a convex lens of focal length 10 cm be formed at the same point O. The
radius of curvature of the mirror is 20 cm. Will the image be inverted or erect?
OR
An object is placed 15 cm in front of a convex lens of focal length 10 cm. Find the
nature and position of the image formed. Where should a concave mirror of
radius of curvature 20 cm be placed so that the final image is formed at the
position of the object itself? [CBSE Panchkula 2015]
Ans. For lens, u = – 15 cm, f = + 10 cm

For image to be formed at O, the rays incident on mirror should form the image at
centre of curvature. It will be so if the image I formed by the lens lies at the centre of
curvature of the mirror, then the final image of mirror will be at centre of curvature and
inverted, this image will be object for the lens.

Q. 8. A compound microscope has an objective of focal length 1.25 cm and

eyepiece of focal length 5 cm. A small object is kept at 2.5 cm from the objective.
If the final image formed is at infinity, find the distance between the objective and
the eyepiece.
[CBSE (F) 2014]
Ans.
Q. 9. Two convex lenses of same focal length but of aperture A1 and A2 (A2 < A1),
are used as the objective lenses in two astronomical telescopes having identical
eyepieces. What is the ratio of their resolving power? Which telescope will you
prefer and why? Give reason. [CBSE Delhi 2011]
Ans.

𝑓𝑜
Magnification of telescope, m = same for both. We prefer telescope of higher
𝑓𝑒
resolving power to view the fine details of the object i.e., telescope having convex lens
of aperture A1.
Q. 10. The radii of curvature of both the surfaces of a lens are equal. If one of the
surfaces is made plane by grinding, then will the focal length of lens change? Will
the power change? [CBSE Guwahati 2015]
Ans.
Q. 11. A convex lens is placed in contact with a plane mirror. A point object at a
distance of 20 cm on the axis of this combination has its image coinciding with
itself. What is the focal length of the lens? [CBSE (Delhi) 2014]
Ans. The focal length of the lens = 20 cm
Explanation:

As the image of this combination coincides with the object itself, the rays from the
object, after refraction from the lens should fall normally on the plane mirror, so that they
retrace their path. So the rays from the point object after refraction from the lens must
form parallel beam. Hence the rays must be originating from the focus.
Q. 12. Define the magnifying power of a compound microscope when the final
image is formed at infinity. Why must both the objective and the eyepiece of a
compound microscope have short focal lengths? Explain. [CBSE Delhi 2017]
Ans. Magnifying power of a compound microscope is defined as the ratio of angle
subtended by the final image at the eye to the angle subtended by the object at the
unaided eye (seen directly).

Where D = least distance of distinct vision

 L = tube length of the microscope
Clearly, to achieve a large magnifying power, the objective and eyepiece should have
small focal lengths.
Q. 13. Why should the objective of a telescope have large focal length and large
aperture? Justify your answer. [CBSE Delhi 2017]
𝑓𝑜
Ans. (i) Magnifying power = –
𝑓𝑒

Where fo is the focal length of objective lens and f e is the focal length of eyepiece.
Clearly, for large magnifying power, fo should be large.

(ii) Resolving power =

Where d is the diameter (aperture) of the objective and is the wavelength of light used.
Therefore, to increase the resolving power of telescope, large aperture of the objective
lens is required.
Q. 14. Answer the following questions.
(i) State the condition under which a large magnification can be achieved in an
astronomical telescope.
(ii) Give two reasons to explain why a reflecting telescope is preferred over a
refracting telescope. [CBSE (F) 2017]
Ans. (a) When final image is formed at least distance of distinct vision, magnification

(b) Magnification in normal adjustment,

𝑓𝑜
𝑚=
𝑓𝑒
Clearly, for large magnification
Fo >> fe
(ii) Reflecting telescope is preferred over refracting telescope because
(a) No chromatic aberration, because mirror is used.
(b) Spherical aberration can be removed by using a parabolic mirror.
(c) Image is bright because no loss of energy due to reflection.
(d) Large mirror can provide easier mechanical support.
Q. 15. Calculate the speed of light in a medium whose critical angle is 45°.
[CBSE Patna 2015]
Ans.

Q. 16. A ray of light incident normally on one face of a right isosceles prism is
totally reflected as shown in figure. What must be minimum value of refractive
index glass? Give relevant calculations. [CBSE Delhi 2016]

Ans. The critical angle depends on refractive index µ as

Hence, the minimum value of refractive index must be √2.
Q. 17. Draw a ray diagram to show how a right isosceles prism made of crown
glass can be used to obtain the inverted image. [CBSE Guwahati 2015]
Ans.
Q. 18. Answer the following questions.
(i) A ray of light is incident normally on the face AB of a right-angled glass prism
of refractive index aµg = 1.5. The prism is partly immersed in a liquid of unknown
refractive index. Find the value of refractive index of the liquid so that the ray
grazes along the face BC after refraction through the prism.

(ii) Trace the path of the rays if it were incident normally on the face AC.
[HOTS] [CBSE Ajmer 2015]
Ans. (i)
(ii) The ray strikes at an angle of 30° <ic. So, the ray of light deviates apart from the
normal, as it moves from denser to rarer medium
Q. 9. A ray of light incident on an equilateral glass prism propagates parallel to
the base line of the prism inside it. Find the angle of incidence of this ray. Given
refractive index of material of glass prism is . [CBSE Bhubaneshwar 2015]
Ans.
Q. 20. A ray of light passing from air through an equilateral glass prism
𝟑
undergoes minimum deviation when the angle of incidence is th of the angle of
𝟒
prism. Calculate the speed of light in the prism. [CBSE (AI) 2017]
Ans. Angle of prism, A = 60° (Since prism is an equilateral glass prism)
We are given that
 Short Answer Questions – I (OIQ)
Q. 1. The focal length of a convex lens made of glass is 20 cm. What will be its
new focal length when placed in a medium of refractive index 1.25?
[CBSE Sample Paper 2017]
Ans.

Q. 2. You have learnt that plane and convex mirrors produce virtual images of
objects. Can they produce real images under some circumstances? Explain.
Ans. Yes, plane and convex mirrors can form real images if the object is virtual i.e., rays
incident on the mirror is convergent as shown in figs. (i) and (ii).
Q. 3. A convex lens, of focal length 20 cm, has a point object placed on its
principle axis at distance of 40 cm from it. A plane mirror is placed 30 cm behind
the convex lens. Locate the position of image formed by this combination.

Ans. We first consider the effect of the lens. For the lens, we have
u = – 40 cm and f = + 20 cm

Had there been the lens only the image would have been formed at Q1. The plane
mirror M is at a distance of 30 cm from the lens L. We can, therefore, think of a Q 1 as a
virtual object, located at a distance of 10 cm, behind the plane mirror M. The plane
mirror therefore forms a real image (of this virtual object Q1) at Q, 10 cm in front of it.
This is show in the figure.
Q. 4. The following data was recorded for values of object distance and the
corresponding values of image distance in the experiment on study of real image
formation by a convex lens of power + 5D. One of these observations is incorrect.
Identify this observation and give reason for your choice:
S.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Object distance (cm) 25 30 35 45 50 55
Image distance (cm) 97 61 37 35 32 30

Ans. Power of lens = + 5 D

Focal length of lens,
The observations at serial number (3) i.e., (object distance 35 cm and image distance
37 cm is incorrect), because if the object is placed at a distance between f and 2f its
image will be formed beyond 2f, while in this observation the object and image
distances, both are between f and 2f.
Q. 5. For a given position of an object, an equiconvex lens forms its real image at
a distance of 60 cm from the lens. A convex mirror is now kept in between this
image position and the convex lens. The final image formed by this combination
coincides with the object when the distance between the convex lens and the
convex mirror equals 25 cm. Calculate the radius of curvature of the convex
mirror.
Ans. Given that the image formed by the combination of convex lens and the convex
mirror coincides with the object.
This means that the position of the image formed by the convex lens alone corresponds
to the position of centre of curvature of the convex mirror.
Hence, the distance between the convex mirror and this image (formed by the lens)
which is equal to 60–25 represents radius of curvature of the mirror.
Thus, radius of curvature of the mirror = 35 cm.
Q. 6. A light ray incident at grazing angle on the face AB of a prism ABC, follows
the path shown in the figure. Obtain the relation between the angle of prism A and
the refractive index µ of its material.
Ans. For grazing incidence at the first face

Q. 7. A right-angled crown glass prism with critical angle 41° is placed before an
object, PQ in two positions as shown in the figures (i) and (ii). Trace the paths of
the rays from P and Q passing through the prisms in the two cases.

Ans. The formation of images is shown in figures (i) and (ii).