Mirrors & Lenses

1. If an object is outside the focal point on a concave mirror, the image will be
a. virtual and inverted.
b. real and inverted.
c. virtual and upright.
d. none of the above.

2. Images formed by concave lenses are

a. real and inverted.
b. virtual.
c. enlarged.
d. none of the above.

3. A 20 cm tall object has a 40 cm tall virtual image. What is the magnification?

a. 0.5
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

4. A convex lens has a focal length of 25.5 cm. If an object is placed 72.5 cm from the lens,
the image's distance from the lense will be
a. 31.7 cm
b. 33.5 cm
c. 39.3 cm
d. none of the above.

5. Which type of mirror produces an image that is always erect, always the same height as
the object, and always virtual?
a. Concave
b. Convex
c. Plane
d. None of the above
6. A concave mirror has a radius of curvature of 1.6 m. The focal length is
a. 0.80 m. (Note: The focal length is always 1/2 the length of curvature.)
b. 3.2 m.
c. 32 cm.
d. none of the above.

7. The bending of light as it travels from one medium into another is called
a. reflection.
b. diffraction.
c. refraction.
d. none of the above.

8. The law that describes the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of
reflection is called
a. the law of reflection.
b. the law of refraction.
c. a virtual image.
d. none of the above.

9. If your face is 62 cm in front of a plane mirror, where is the image of your face located?
a. 62 cm in front of the mirror
b. 62 cm in back of the mirror
c. 62 cm below the mirror
d. 31 cm in front of the mirror

10. Images created by convex mirrors are always

a. smaller than the object.
b. the same size as the object.
c. larger than the object.
d. none of the above.

All lenses have __________.

 no curves at all
A)

only one curved side

B)

at least one curved side

C)

two curved sides

D)

Feedback: Lenses have at least one curved side, whether they are convex or concave.

What type of lenses do microscopes use?

convex
A)

reflecting
B)

plane
C)

concave
D)

Feedback: Convex lenses cause light rays to converge, thus making them useful to
magnify things.

What is a focal length?

the difference between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection
A)

the distance from the center of the mirror to the focal point
B)

the distance from the mirror to the reflecting object

C)

the distance light travels along a reflective surface

D)

Feedback: The focal length measures the distance from the mirror to the focal point in
space.

What causes light waves to refract?

The speed of light is reduced to zero.

A)

The speed of light changes from one medium to the next.

B)

The speed of light remains constant.

C)
 The light is repelled by some materials.
D)

Feedback: When light moves from one medium to the next, the speed of light can change
and cause refraction.

To correct nearsightedness, which lenses should be used?

convex
A)

plane
B)

reflecting
C)

concave
D)

Feedback: Concave lenses are used for nearsightedness; convex lenses are used for
farsightedness.

Which is an example of a convex lens?

a car windshield
A)

magnifying glass
B)

a side mirror on a car

C)

nearsighted eyeglasses
D)

Feedback: Magnifying glasses are made from convex lenses to increase the size of an
object's image.

A source of light emits light rays __________.

only at right angles

A)

in a circle
B)

in all directions
C)

in a straight line
D)

Feedback: Light rays are emitted from a source in all directions.

Object A reflects more than object B. Therefore, object A is __________ object B.

just as smooth as
A)

made of the same material as

B)

rougher than
C)

smoother than
D)

Feedback: Object A, which reflects more than object B, does so because it is smoother.

A mirror with a flat surface is called a __________ mirror.

flat
A)

convex
B)

plane
C)

concave
D)

Feedback: Flat mirrors reflect light off a plane, thus the name plane mirror.

What are the primary pigment colors?

red, blue, and yellow

A)

yellow, magenta, and cyan

B)

black and white

C)

red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet

D)

Feedback: Yellow, magenta, and cyan are three colors that can be mixed to absorb different
colors.

What is the main purpose of a telescope?

to gather as much light as possible

A)

to reflect light at an object

B)
 to make objects appear closer
C)

to magnify an image
D)

Feedback: Telescopes are designed to collect light first, then magnify it.

A blue car looks blue because __________.

blue light is reflected while others are absorbed

A)

the blue car emits blue light

B)

blue light is absorbed while others are reflected

C)

the blue car is opaque

D)

Feedback: Any item appears a certain color because that color is reflected from ambient
light.

Why can you see most objects?

light refracts through them

A)

light reflects off them

B)

they emit light

C)

they absorb light

D)

Feedback: Light reflects off matter, which allows us to see different things.

What happens to an image when the focal length of a lens is reduced?

It gets larger.
A)

It gets smaller.
B)

It goes out of focus.

C)

It remains the same.

D)

Feedback: As focal length gets smaller, so does the image.

Where does an image form on the eye?

the optic nerve

A)

the lens
B)

the cornea
C)

the retina
D)

Feedback: Your lens projects an image on your retina, which is then interpreted by your
brain.

The image formed by a concave lens is similar to that formed by a __________.

convex lens
A)

concave mirror
B)

convex mirror
C)

plane mirror
D)

Feedback: Concave lenses give images similar to convex mirrors. Convex lenses give
images similar to concave mirrors.

The speed of light is __________.

faster in water than in air

A)

slower in water than in air

B)

the same speed in water and air

C)

fastest in water
D)

Feedback: The speed of light changes, depending on its medium. In water, it is slower than
it is in air, and this is what causes refraction.

Which of the following is the law of reflection?

The angle of incidence is equal to the normal.

A)
 The normal is perpendicular to the reflecting surface.
B)

The angle of reflection is equal to the normal.

C)

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

D)

Feedback: The law of reflection states that the angles of incidence (incoming) is equal to
the angle of reflection (outgoing).

Large telescopes magnify with what?

mirrors
A)

cameras
B)

lenses
C)

computers
D)

Feedback: Mirrors are used in large telescopes because lenses would be too heavy.