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Form 4

Physics
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The study of matter

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Chapter 5: Light

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Physics: Chapter 5
Objectives:

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(what you will learn)

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1) 2)

understanding Light understanding the Laws

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Light Reflection
Light travels in straight lines. When light is incident on a surface, it is reflected.

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Laws of reflection of light

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a. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal are in the same plane. b. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Characteristics of images formed by plane mirror

a. b. c. d. e. Same size as object Virtual Laterally inverted Upright. The image is as far behind the mirror as the object is in front

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Refraction
When light travels from one medium to another medium of different optical density, its speed changes.

This causes the change in its direction and the light bends.
The bending of light is called refraction.
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Laws of refraction
a. The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal lie on the same plane. b. The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to sine of angle of refraction is a constant (Snells Law).

When light travels from an optically less dense to a denser medium, it bends towards the normal.

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When light travels from an optically denser to a less dense medium, it bends away from the normal.

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Refraction
Refractive index of medium X may be found by the following: n =

Sine (angle of incidence) Sine (angle of refraction)

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n =
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Velocity of light in air Velocity of light in medium X

n =

Actual depth Apparent depth

n =
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1 Sine C

, C = critical angle

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Mirage
Mirage
A naturally-occurring optical phenomenon, in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The interpretation of the image is up to the fantasy of human mind, and is usually mistaken for a small puddle of water.

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The word comes to English via the French mirage, and from the Latin mirare, meaning 'to appear, to seem'. It has the same root as for mirror. Like a mirror, a mirage shows images of things which are elsewhere. The principal physical cause of a mirage, however, is refraction rather than reflection.

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It is also caused by the phenomenon of total internal reflection which is the result of refraction.

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Mirage
Inferior Mirage
Cold air is denser than warm air, and has a greater refractive index. As light passes from colder air above to warmer air below it bends away from the normal, resulting in an inferior image for the sky above.

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Superior Mirage

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Where the air near the ground is cooler than that higher up, the light rays will curve downwards, producing a superior image. Superior mirages are most common in polar regions, especially over large sheets of ice with a uniform low temperature.

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Internal Reflection
Critical angle is angle of incidence when light travels from denser medium to less dense medium and angle of refraction is 90o.
Less dense medium

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Denser medium

Normal When light travels from denser to less dense medium and the critical angle is exceeded, total internal reflection takes place. Application of total internal reflection: optical fibres

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A light ray enters fibre at an angle > critical angle

Total internal reflection takes place along whole length of the fibre.

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Lens
There are 2 types of lenses: convex and concave lenses Convex lens: the point where refracted rays meet is called focal point Concave lens: the light rays seem to be diverged from a single point, the point is the focal point

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Focal length (f): distance from optical centre to focal point

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Power of lens =

1 f (in metre)

, unit is dioptre (D)

A real image can be formed on a screen. A virtual image cannot be formed on a screen. Optical instruments which use lenses: Camera Photocopier Magnifying glass Slide projector Microscope Telescope

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Lens
Object distance (u) u<f u=f f < u < 2f Image distance (v) Same side as object At infinity v > 2f Characteristics of image Virtual, upright, enlarged Virtual, upright, enlarged Real, inverted, enlarged Uses Magnifying glass Telescope Slide projector

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u = 2f
u > 2f

v = 2f
F < v < 2f

Real, inverted, same size

Real, inverted, diminished

Photocopier
camera

Lens equation:

1
u

1
v v u

1
f

10

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Magnification of lens =

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Summary
What you have learned:

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1.
2. 3.

Understanding Light
Reflection and Refraction Using the Laws

11

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