Test: Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces - Class 10 MCQ

A mirage occurs due to atmospheric refraction when light bends as it passes through layers of air at different temperatures. This bending can make distant objects appear to be in locations where they are not.

Stars appear to twinkle due to atmospheric refraction, as their light passes through varying layers of air with different temperatures and densities, causing fluctuations in their apparent position and brightness.

Optical fibers utilize total internal reflection to transmit light signals over long distances with minimal loss of energy. This principle is essential for modern telecommunications and medical instruments.

In a rectangular glass block, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of emergence due to the principle of reversibility. This property allows for the emergent ray to be parallel to the incident ray.

Total internal reflection occurs when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle while light travels from a denser to a rarer medium. This phenomenon is crucial for technologies that rely on fiber optics and reflective prisms.

In a medium, red light travels faster than violet light. This is due to the differing refractive indices for different wavelengths, with shorter wavelengths (like violet) being refracted more than longer wavelengths (like red).

Lateral displacement refers to the perpendicular distance between the path of the emergent ray and the direction of the incident ray when light passes through a parallel-sided medium. This phenomenon illustrates how light can be redirected without changing its angle of incidence.

The angle of deviation is defined as the angle between the direction of the incident ray extended and the direction of the emergent ray. It quantifies how much the light path is altered as it passes through the prism.

Snell's Law states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is a constant for a given pair of media and wavelength of light. This relationship is crucial for predicting how light will bend when entering a new medium.

The absolute refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in that medium. It quantifies how much light slows down in the medium compared to its speed in vacuum.

The principle of reversibility of the path of light states that light can travel back along the same path it has taken. This principle is fundamental in optics and helps in understanding the behavior of light in various media.

In a total reflecting prism, light that hits the surfaces at angles greater than the critical angle is totally internally reflected. This property is utilized in optical devices for efficient light transmission.

Light does not change direction when the angle of incidence is zero degrees, as it travels straight into the medium without bending. This condition is crucial for understanding light behavior at boundaries.

Increasing temperature generally decreases the refractive index of a medium because the speed of light increases as the medium's density decreases. This relationship is important in understanding optical behaviors in varying conditions.

The first law of refraction states that the incident ray, refracted ray, and the normal to the interface of two transparent media at the point of incidence all lie in the same plane. This principle helps in visualizing the behavior of light at boundaries.

When light passes from a denser medium to a rarer medium, its speed increases. This increase in speed causes the light ray to bend away from the normal, illustrating the principles of refraction.

According to Snell's Law, the ratio of the sines of the angles of incidence and refraction is constant for a given pair of media and specific wavelength of light. This fundamental relationship governs how light bends at interfaces.

A ray of light bends towards the normal when it travels from a rarer medium (like air) to a denser medium (like glass). This bending occurs due to the decrease in speed of light as it enters the denser medium.

The critical angle is the angle of incidence in a denser medium at which the angle of refraction in the rarer medium is 90 degrees. Beyond this angle, total internal reflection occurs.

The frequency of light does not change during refraction and thus does not affect the refractive index of a medium. The refractive index is primarily influenced by optical density, temperature, and color (wavelength) of light.