PHYSICS: OPTICS QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH SOLUTIONS 2024
Isaac Newton said: - ANSWER Light moves as tiny particles
Huygens said: - ANSWER Light is a wave
Ray Model of Light - ANSWER Light is represented as a ray (arrow) which travels in a straight line.
The ray model was introduced as a way to study how light interacts with matter, regardless of whether
light is a particle or a wave. Ray optics or geometric optics.
Sources of Light - ANSWER Luminous source (sun) produces own light.
Illuminated source (moon) reflects light.
Opaque - ANSWER Does not allow light to pass through
Translucent - ANSWER Light passes through but objects not seen clearly
Transparent - ANSWER Light passes through and objects seen clearly
Ole Roemer - ANSWER Danish astronomer; first to first to determine that light travels with a measurable
speed.
Albert A. Michelson - ANSWER 1926: measured speed of light. For this work, be became the first
American to receive the nobel prize in science.
Speed of light - ANSWER c = 3 × 10^8 m/s (precise enough)
At this rate, light travels 9.46 × 10^12 km in a year. This is called a "light year"
Light diffraction - ANSWER Light bends around a barrier
, Light refraction - ANSWER Light divides into colors, a property of waves (not particles).
ROY G BIV
Ray model of light - ANSWER This assumes that light travels in straight-line paths called rays
Geometric Optics - ANSWER When we use the ray model of light to deal with optics (I think)
The law of reflection - ANSWER when the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
Diffuse reflection - ANSWER When light is reflected in many directions because of a rough surface (even
if it's microscopically rough, like paper)
specular reflection - ANSWER reflection from a mirror
Plane mirror - ANSWER A mirror with a smooth, flat, reflecting surface.
Image distance = object distance
Virtual image - ANSWER When light rays do not actually pass threough the image location itself. A virtual
image would not appear on paper or film placed at the location of the image.
Real image - ANSWER Light does pass through the image and could appear on paper or film placed at the
image position.
Convex mirror - ANSWER Reflection takes place on the outer surcface of the spherical shape so that the
center of the mirror surface bulges out toward the viewer.
Concave mirror - ANSWER The reflecting surgace is on teh inner surface of the spher so that the center
of the mirror sinks away from the viewer (like a "cave"), and convex mirrors are sometimes used on cars
and trucks (rearview mirros) and in shops.
ANSWERS WITH SOLUTIONS 2024
Isaac Newton said: - ANSWER Light moves as tiny particles
Huygens said: - ANSWER Light is a wave
Ray Model of Light - ANSWER Light is represented as a ray (arrow) which travels in a straight line.
The ray model was introduced as a way to study how light interacts with matter, regardless of whether
light is a particle or a wave. Ray optics or geometric optics.
Sources of Light - ANSWER Luminous source (sun) produces own light.
Illuminated source (moon) reflects light.
Opaque - ANSWER Does not allow light to pass through
Translucent - ANSWER Light passes through but objects not seen clearly
Transparent - ANSWER Light passes through and objects seen clearly
Ole Roemer - ANSWER Danish astronomer; first to first to determine that light travels with a measurable
speed.
Albert A. Michelson - ANSWER 1926: measured speed of light. For this work, be became the first
American to receive the nobel prize in science.
Speed of light - ANSWER c = 3 × 10^8 m/s (precise enough)
At this rate, light travels 9.46 × 10^12 km in a year. This is called a "light year"
Light diffraction - ANSWER Light bends around a barrier
, Light refraction - ANSWER Light divides into colors, a property of waves (not particles).
ROY G BIV
Ray model of light - ANSWER This assumes that light travels in straight-line paths called rays
Geometric Optics - ANSWER When we use the ray model of light to deal with optics (I think)
The law of reflection - ANSWER when the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
Diffuse reflection - ANSWER When light is reflected in many directions because of a rough surface (even
if it's microscopically rough, like paper)
specular reflection - ANSWER reflection from a mirror
Plane mirror - ANSWER A mirror with a smooth, flat, reflecting surface.
Image distance = object distance
Virtual image - ANSWER When light rays do not actually pass threough the image location itself. A virtual
image would not appear on paper or film placed at the location of the image.
Real image - ANSWER Light does pass through the image and could appear on paper or film placed at the
image position.
Convex mirror - ANSWER Reflection takes place on the outer surcface of the spherical shape so that the
center of the mirror surface bulges out toward the viewer.
Concave mirror - ANSWER The reflecting surgace is on teh inner surface of the spher so that the center
of the mirror sinks away from the viewer (like a "cave"), and convex mirrors are sometimes used on cars
and trucks (rearview mirros) and in shops.
