Q13
1 markMCQSection A

The Phenomena of light involved in the formation of a rainbow in the sky are

The Human Eye and the Colourful World
Rainbow Formation

Options

(A)Refraction, dispersion and reflection
(B)Refraction, dispersion and total internal reflection
(C)Dispersion, scattering and reflection
(D)Dispersion, refraction and internal reflection
Official Answer

The correct option is D.

RefractionDispersionInternal reflectionRaindrop

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark for selecting the correct option (D).

Hint

Think about the three steps light undergoes when interacting with a spherical raindrop: entering the drop, reflecting off the back inner surface, and exiting the drop.

Quick Oral Answer

The phenomena involved are refraction, dispersion, and internal reflection. The water droplets act as tiny prisms that refract and disperse sunlight, reflect it internally, and refract it again as it exits.

Analysis & Explanation

According to the NCERT textbook, a rainbow is a natural spectrum caused by the dispersion of sunlight by tiny water droplets in the atmosphere. The water droplets act like small prisms. They first refract and disperse the incident sunlight, then reflect it internally (internal reflection), and finally refract it again when it comes out of the raindrop. Therefore, the three physical phenomena involved are refraction, dispersion, and internal reflection.


  • Option A is incorrect because it does not capture the precise sequence of events described in the text.
  • Option B is incorrect because the Class 10 NCERT curriculum specifically refers to the reflection inside the droplet as 'internal reflection' rather than 'total internal reflection'.
  • Option C is incorrect because scattering is not the phenomenon responsible for rainbow formation; scattering is responsible for the blue color of the sky and the reddening of the Sun.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Students often confuse 'internal reflection' with 'total internal reflection' at this level, or mistakenly think scattering is involved in rainbow formation.

Interesting Facts

A rainbow is always formed in a direction opposite to that of the Sun, and you can only see it when the Sun is behind you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2024?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2024 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "The Human Eye and the Colourful World" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Rainbow Formation" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2024 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section A in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2024 paper.