RAY OPTICS
Principle of Reversibility of Light
Optical Path (Corresponding to
certain length of a medium)
REFLECTION
Laws of Reflection
N
i r
O
Reflection from Plane-surfaces
(Plane Mirror)
Number of images of a point
object formed are If there are two
plane mirrors inclined to each
other at an angle ,
If a light ray is reversed, it always retraces its path. Object and
image positions are interchangeable. The points corresponding
to object and image are called conjugate points.
It is defined as distance travelled by light in vacuum in the same
time in which it travels a given path length in a medium. If light
travels a path length d in a medium at speed v, the time taken by
it will be (d/v). So optical path length.
d   c 
L  c     d ; as v   
v  
As for all media   1, optical path length is always greater
than actual path length.
(a) The incident-ray, reflected-ray and normal to the reflecting
surface at the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
(b) i   r.
The image is always erect, virtual and of same size as the object.
It is at the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in
1 1 1
front of it. Also + = called mirror formula.
v u f
If  360 /   is even integer (say m) number of images formed
n = (m – 1), for all positions of object
If  360 /   is odd integer (say m) number of images formed
n = m, if the object is not on the bisector of mirrors
n = (m – 1), if the object is on the bisector of mirrors
If  360 /   is a fraction, the number of images formed will be
equal to its integral part.
[115]
REFRACTION
1. Law of Refraction: 1. Incident ray, Refracted ray and normal at the incident point
N lie in same plane.
1 2. Snell’s law
i
i.e.   sin i  constant
2 r sin i  2
1  sin i   2 sin r  
sin r 1
d Ac  D
Apparent Depth and 
d Ap  R
Actual Depth
dAP
dAC
I
O
D h AP I
Apparent Height and 
R h AC O
hAP
Actual Height R hAC

D

Condition for Total Internal (i) Ray must enter from denser to Rarer medium
Reflection (ii) Angle of incidence i > ic where ic = critical angle
R  1 
1
ic = sin  R 
  
 D 

D
N
A
Prism-Theory The Angle of deviation
P R    i1  i 2    r1  r2 
i1 i2
r1 r2
but  r1  r2   A
Q

B C   i1  i2  A

Angle of Minimum
deviation  m  and
refractive index of prism
sin  A  m  / 2 
 where  is refrective index of prism material
sin  A / 2 
 for thin prism      1 A i.e. 0  A  10
Angular dispersion      V  R   V  R  A




V  R 
and Dispersive power   y  yellow    1

+
i
Refraction at r
2 1 2  1
Spherical Surfaces  
O 1 P C 2 I v u R
R
u v

Lens maker’s formula Let R1 and R2 be radii of curvature of the first and second spherical
for thin lens surface. Let f be the focal length of the lens and  be the refractive index
of lens material w.r.t. the medium in which the lens is placed. Then

1   L  1 1   1 1 
  1   or P     1   
f  S   R1 R2   R1 R2 
 L  Refractive index of lens medium and µs = refractive index of surrounding
1
Power of a Lens P Since focal length of a convex lens or
f
where f is focal length a converging lens is positive, therefore
of lens in meter its power is positive. Similarly, the power
of a concave lens or a diverging lens is
negative.
1 1 1
Lens Formula  
v u f
Convex Lens
Position of Position of Real/Virtual Inverted/erect Magnification
object image and size of
image
at infinity at focus real inverted m < 1 greatly
diminished
beyond 2f between f and 2f real inverted m = 1 same size
at 2f at 2f real inverted m = 1 same size
between f and 2f beyond 2f real inverted m > 1 magnified
at f at inifinity real inverted m= 
magnified
 between optical at a distance virtual erect m> 1 magnified
centre and focus greater than the
object distance
and on the same
side object
Concave Lens
at inifinity at focus (v = f) virtual erect m < 1 diminished
between infinity between optical virtual erect m < 1 diminished
and optical centre and focus
centre

Ray diagram of different location of Object in front of convex lens

(i) (ii)

(iii) (iv)

(v) (vi)

1 1 1
Focal Length of L1  
F f1 f 2 ; lenses in contact
Combination of two thin P = P1+ P2
O L2 l1 l2
lenses in contact u v
1 1 1 d
v1   
F f1 f 2 f1 f 2
(when lenses are separated by
distance d)
OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
D A'
Simple Microscope M  1
f A
A''
for image at D = 25 cm
B' FB
C
D
M for normal vision or D
f
image at 

Compound Microscope M  Me  Mo

v  D
M  o 1  
uo  fe 

f
Terrestrial Telescope M o
fe
L  f o  4f  f e

f
Astronomical Refraction M  o
fe
Telescope fo  f e  L