- When light strikes the boundary between two transparent media, it undergoes partial reflection and partial refraction.
- A ray passing from a rarer to a denser medium bends towards the normal, while one passing from a denser to a rarer medium bends away from the normal.
- The angles of incidence and refraction are generally unequal, causing light to bend.
- A ray incident normally (i = 0°) passes undeviated, even though its speed changes.
- Refraction occurs due to a change in the speed of light when it passes from one medium to another.
Definitions [40]
Define opaque material.
Materials that are not able to allow light to pass through, are called opaque material.
Definition: Refractive Index of a Medium
The refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum (or air) to the speed of light in that medium.
Define transparent materials.
Materials that allow light to pass through completely are known as transparent materials.
Define the principal focus of a concave mirror.
Light rays that are parallel to the principal axis of a concave mirror converge at a specific point on its principal axis after reflecting from the mirror. This point is known as the principal focus of the concave mirror.
Definition: Refracted Light
Refracted light is the part of light enters into the other medium and travels in a straight path but in a direction different from its initial direction and is called the refracted light.
Definition: Refraction
The change in the direction of the path of light when it passes from one transparent medium to another transparent medium is called refraction. The refraction of light is essentially a surface phenomenon.
Definition: Refraction of Light
When travelling obliquely from one medium to another, the direction of propagation of light in the second medium changes. This phenomenon is known as refraction of light.
OR
Light changes its direction when going from one transparent medium to another transparent medium. This is called the refraction of light.
OR
The bending of the light ray from its path in passing from one medium to the other medium is called 'refraction' of light.
Define the absolute refractive index of a medium.
The absolute refractive index is the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to that of the medium.
Define the term refractive index of a medium in terms of velocity of light.
It is defined as the ratio of the velocity of light in medium 1 to the velocity of light in medium 2.
Definition: Lateral Displacement

The perpendicular distance XY between the path of the emergent ray BC and the direction of the incident ray OD is called the lateral displacement.
Definition: Prism
A prism is a transparent medium bounded by five plane surfaces with a triangular cross-section.
Definition: Angular Dispersion
The angular separation between the two extreme rays of a dispersed beam of light is called angular dispersion.
Definition: Dispersion
The phenomenon of splitting of white light by a prism into its constituent colours is known as dispersion.
OR
The splitting of light into its component colours is called dispersion.
OR
The process of separation of light into its component colours while passing through a medium is called the dispersion of light.
OR
The phenomenon in which white light splits into its constituent colours when it passes through a prism or another medium is called dispersion of light.
Define the term dispersion of light.
The phenomenon of the splitting of white light by a prism into its constituent colours is known as dispersion of light.
When a beam of white light or composite light is refracted through any transparent media such as glass or water, it is split into its component colours. This phenomenon is called ‘dispersion of light’.
Definition: Spectrum
On passing white light through a prism, the band of colours seen on a screen is called the spectrum.
or
The band of the coloured components of a light beam is called its spectrum.
Define the following term in relation to concave mirror.
Focal length
The linear distance between the pole and the principal focus is called focal length.
Define the term Focus of a concave mirror.
The focus of a concave mirror is a point on the principal axis of the mirror, where all the rays travelling parallel to the principal axis and close to it after reflection from the mirror converge to that point.
Define the term Normal.
Normal to the surface of a mirror at any point is the straight line at the right angle to the tangent drawn at that point.
Define the term Pole.
Pole is the centre of the reflecting surface, in this case, a spherical mirror.
Define focal length.
The distance between the pole and the principal focus is called the focal length (f) of a spherical mirror.
Define the following term:
spherical mirror
“A mirror which is made from a part of a hollow sphere is called Spherical Mirror.
Define the following term:
convex mirror
“A mirror made by silvering the inner surface such that reflection takes place from the bulging surface” is called Convex Mirror.
The Centre of curvature is towards the silvered surface.
Define the following term:
concave mirror
“A mirror made by silvering the outer or the bulging surface such that the reflection takes place from the concave surface.” Centre of curvature is towards the reflecting surface.
Define the following term in relation to concave mirror.
Pole
Pole “is the mid-point of the mirror”.
Define the following term in relation to concave mirror.
Center of curvature
The centre of a hollow sphere of which the mirror forms a part is called the centre of curvature.
Define the following term in relation to concave mirror.
Principal axis
An imaginary line passing through the pole and the centre of curvature of a spherical mirror is called principal axis.
Define the following term in relation to concave mirror.
Principal focus
It is a point on the principal axis, where a beam of light, parallel to the principal axis, after reflection actually meet.
Define the following term in relation to concave mirror.
Radius of curvature
The linear distance between the pole and the center of curvature is called the radius of curvature.
Define the term Centre of curvature.
Centre of curvature is the centre of the imaginary sphere to which the mirror belongs.
Define the term Principle focus.
Principal focus of a spherical mirror is a point on the principal axis of the mirror, where all the rays travelling parallel to the principal axis and close to it after reflection from the mirror, converge to or appear to diverge from.
Definition: Spherical Mirrors
Mirrors whose reflecting surfaces are spherical are called spherical mirrors.
OR
A spherical mirror is a part of a hollow sphere, whose one side is silvered and coated with red oxide and the other side is the reflecting surface.
Definition: Pole
The centre of the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror is a point called the pole. The pole is usually represented by the letter P.
OR
The central point of the reflecting surface of the mirror is called the 'pole' of the mirror.
Definition: Concave Mirror
A spherical mirror, whose reflecting surface is curved inwards, that is, faces towards the centre of the sphere, is called a concave mirror.
OR
A concave mirror is one whose reflecting surface is towards the centre of the sphere of which the mirror is a part.
Definition: Convex Mirror
A spherical mirror whose reflecting surface is curved outwards, is called a convex mirror.
OR
A convex mirror is one whose reflecting surface is away from the centre of the sphere of which the mirror is a part.
Definition: Centre of Curvature
The reflecting surface of a spherical mirror forms a part of a sphere. This sphere has a centre. This point is called the centre of curvature of the spherical mirror. It is represented by the letter C.
OR
The centre of the sphere of which the mirror forms a part, is called the ‘centre of curvature' of the mirror.
Definition: Radius of Curvature
The radius of the sphere of which the reflecting surface of a spherical mirror forms a part is called the radius of curvature of the mirror. It is represented by the letter R.
OR
The radius of the sphere of which the mirror forms a part, is called the 'radius of curvature' of the mirror.
Definition: Principal Axis
A straight line passing through the pole and the centre of curvature of a spherical mirror. This line is called the principal axis.
OR
The straight line joining the pole and the centre of curvature of the mirror and extended on both sides is called the 'principal axis' of the mirror.
Define the term Aperture.
Aperture is the distance between the extreme points on the periphery of the mirror.
Define the following terms :
Incident ray, Refracted ray, Angle of incidence, Angle of refraction.
INCIDENT RAY AB: The ray light AB which is in air strikes the glass slab at B.
Or
“A ray of light falling on the surface separating the two media.”
REFRACTED RAY BK: A ray of light which after passing the first medium is in second medium i.e. ray BK.
“A ray of light travelling in other medium in the changed direction.”
ANGLE OF INCIDENCE: “The angle which the incident ray makes with the normal is called angle of incidence.”
i.e. ∠i
ANGLE OF REFRACTION: “The angle which the refracted ray makes with the normal is called angle of refraction.”
i.e. ∠r

Define principal focus of the concave mirror.
Principal focus (F): The point on the principal axis of the spherical mirror where the rays of light parallel to the principal axis meet or appear to meet after reflection from the spherical mirror.
Theorems and Laws [1]
A ray of light moves from a rare medium to a dense medium as shown in the diagram below. Write down the number of the ray which represents the partially reflected ray.

Ray 2 shows partially reflected ray.
Key Points
Key Points: Speed of Light in Different Media
- Refractive index (µ) = c / V, where c is the speed of light in vacuum and V is the speed in the medium.
- The refractive index of a medium is always > 1 because the speed of light in any medium is less than in a vacuum.
- If µ₁ = µ₂ or the angle of incidence = 0°, the ray of light passes undeviated.
- Wavelength in medium A′ = A / µ; wavelength decreases in denser medium and increases in rarer medium.
- Refractive index decreases with decreasing speed of light, and is maximum for violet light and minimum for red light.
Key Points: Refraction of Light
Key Points: Refraction of Light Through a Rectangular Glass Block
Key Points: Dispersion of Light
- Dispersion is the splitting of white light into seven colours (VIBGYOR) when it passes through a prism or similar transparent medium.
- Human eyes can detect light with wavelengths ranging from 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red).
- Different colours travel at different speeds in a medium like glass, so each colour has a different refractive index.
- Violet light bends the most, and red light bends the least, as it passes through a prism, producing a spectrum.
- A rainbow is formed due to dispersion, refraction, and internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops acting as tiny prisms.
Key Points: Spherical Mirrors
Concepts [17]
- Speed of Light in Different Media
- Refraction of Light
- Some Terms Related to Refraction of Light
- Effects of Refraction
- Atmospheric Refraction
- Application of Atmospheric Refraction
- Refraction of Light Through a Rectangular Glass Block
- Refraction of Light Through a Prism
- Prism
- Dispersion of Light
- Spherical Mirrors
- Rules to Trace the Image Formed by Spherical Mirrors
- Formation of Image by Reflection: Real and Virtual Image
- Spherical Mirror > Convex Mirror
- Image Formation by Convex Mirror
- Spherical Mirror > Concave Mirror
- Image Formation by Concave Mirror
