1
1 Red light travelling in air strikes the curves surface of a semi-circular glass block at P.
The diagram shows the ray of light.
The light travels in a straight line from O to Q.
(a) Explain why the light does not change direction as it enters the glass block at P.
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........................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) The light travels in the glass to Q where it strikes the edge of the block at 30° to the normal.
The light then emerges into the air.
(i) The refractive index of the glass is 1.5.
Calculate the angle between the normal and the ray in the air after the light emerges
from the block at Q.
angle = ............................................ [3]
(ii)
On the diagram, sketch the path of the light in the air after it emerges at Q. [1]
2
(c) The direction of the light striking the curved surface of the glass block is changed. The angle
between the ray and the normal at Q gradually increases from 30° to 90°.
Describe what happens to the light that strikes the block at Q as this angle increases.
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........................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 8]
2 The full-scale diagram shows a small nail N in front of a thin converging lens. The line L represents
the lens.
X Y
1.0 cm
1.0 cm
(full-scale)
The focal length of the lens is 3.0 cm.
(a) On the diagram, mark and label with an F each of the two principal focuses of the lens. [1]
(b) The small nail N, of height 1.2 cm, is positioned 2.0 cm to the left of the lens.
(i) By drawing on the diagram, find the position of the image I of N and add image I to the
diagram. [3]
3
(ii) State and explain whether I is a real or a virtual image.
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................................................................................................................................ [1]
(iii) State the name given to a lens when it is used in this way.
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[Total: 6]
3 A boy looks at the image of a clock in a plane mirror. The diagram shows the mirror, the clock and
the position of one of the boy’s eyes.
mirror
boy’s eye
clock
(a) On the diagram above, draw a ray of light from the clock, reflected to the boy’s eye.
[2]
(b) On the diagram above, mark with an X the position of the image of the clock.
[1]
(c) State whether the image formed by the mirror is virtual or real.
Explain your answer.
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........................................................................................................................................... [1]
4
(d) The diagram below shows the image of the clock seen by the boy.
The boy now looks directly at the clock.
On the diagram below, draw what the boy sees.
[1]
[Total: 5]
4 The diagram shows parallel wavefronts of a light wave in ice. The wavefronts are incident on a
boundary with air.
8
The speed of the light wave in air is 3.0 × 10 m / s. The refractive index of the ice is 1.3.
(a) On the diagram draw the wavefronts of the wave that passes into the air. [3]
5
(b) On the diagram draw arrows to show the direction of travel of the refracted wave. [1]
(c) On the diagram label the angle of incidence i and the angle of refraction r. [1]
[Total: 5]
5 The diagram represents an object positioned on the principal axis of a thin lens.
Each small square of the grid represents 0.5 cm. Each principal focus of the lens is labelled F.
(a) Use the grid to determine the focal length of the lens.
focal length = ........................... cm [1]
(b) (i) On the diagram, draw a ray from the top of the object that passes through a principal
focus, then through the lens and beyond it.
[1]
(ii) On the diagram, draw a second ray from the top of the object that passes through the
centre of the lens. Continue the path of this ray to the edge of the grid.
[1]
(iii) On the diagram, draw an arrow to show the position and nature of the image produced
by the lens.
[2]
[Total: 5]
6
6 The diagram shows a ray of light reflected from mirror 1 at point P and striking mirror 2 at point Q.
(a) On the diagram,
• clearly mark the position of the normal at Q,
• draw the ray reflected from point Q,
• mark the angle of reflection at Q using the letter r,
State the law you used to draw the reflected ray.
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(b) Compare the direction of the ray reflected from mirror 2 at Q with the direction of the ray incident
on mirror 1 at P. Tick one box.
The ray of light reflected from mirror 2 is
parallel to the incident ray at P,
perpendicular to the incident ray at P,
at an angle of 45° to the incident ray at P.
[1]
[Total: 5]
