10 Questions
What is the relationship between the sine of the angle of incidence and the sine of the angle of refraction?
The ratio of the two is a constant
What is the refractive index of a medium with respect to another medium?
The constant value in Snell's law of refraction
What happens to the direction of a ray of light when it travels from one transparent medium into another?
It changes direction
What is the speed of light in vacuum?
3×10^8 m/s
What is the relationship between the refractive index and the speed of light in different media?
The refractive index depends on the ratio of the speeds of light in the two media
What is the purpose of Snell's law of refraction?
To express the extent of the change in direction of a ray of light
What is the angle of incidence limited to, according to Snell's law of refraction?
0 < i < 90°
What happens to the speed of light when it travels from air into glass or water?
It decreases
What is the refractive index linked to?
The relative speed of propagation of light in different media
What is the equation that represents Snell's law of refraction?
sin(i) / sin(r) = constant
Study Notes
Mirror Formula and Properties
- The mirror formula, 1/u + 1/v = 1/f, relates object-distance (u), image-distance (v), and focal length (f) of a spherical mirror.
- The focal length of a spherical mirror is equal to half its radius of curvature.
- The magnification produced by a spherical mirror is the ratio of the height of the image to the height of the object.
Refraction of Light
- A light ray travelling obliquely from a denser medium to a rarer medium bends away from the normal.
- A light ray bends towards the normal when it travels obliquely from a rarer to a denser medium.
- The speed of light is different in different media, and it travels at an enormous speed of 3×10^8 m/s in vacuum.
- The refractive index of a transparent medium is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to that in the medium.
Lens Formula and Properties
- The lens formula, 1/u + 1/v = 1/f, relates object-distance (u), image-distance (v), and focal length (f) of a spherical lens.
- The power of a lens is the reciprocal of its focal length, and its SI unit is dioptre.
Reflection of Light
- A highly polished surface, such as a mirror, reflects most of the light falling on it.
- The laws of reflection of light are applicable to all types of reflecting surfaces, including spherical surfaces.
- The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, and the incident ray, normal to the mirror, and reflected ray all lie in the same plane.
Refraction of Light and Refractive Index
- Snell's law of refraction states that the ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a constant for light of a given color and a given pair of media.
- The refractive index of a medium is linked to the relative speed of propagation of light in different media.
- The value of the refractive index depends on the speed of light in the two media.
Test your understanding of spherical mirrors, including the mirror formula and its relationship to object-distance, image-distance, and focal length.
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