Study the figure in which the path of a ray of light going from Medium 1 to Medium 2 is shown. (a) Out of the two Media - Medium 1 and Medium 2, in which is the speed of light more? (b) State reason of bending of the refracted ray away from the normal. (c) Express refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 in terms of speed of light in two media.
Study the figure in which the path of a ray of light going from Medium 1 to Medium 2 is shown. (a) Out of the two Media - Medium 1 and Medium 2, in which is the speed of light more? (b) State reason of bending of the refracted ray away from the normal. (c) Express refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 in terms of speed of light in two media.
Official answer
The speed of light is more in Medium 1 than in Medium 2.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for identifying the medium with higher speed of light
- 2.1 mark for explaining the bending of the refracted ray
- 3.1 mark for expressing the refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1
Hint
Use Snell's law to relate the angles of incidence and refraction to the refractive indices of the two media.
Quick oral answer
The speed of light is more in Medium 1 than in Medium 2 because the refracted ray bends away from the normal. The refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 is given by n21 = c1/c2, where c1 and c2 are the speeds of light in Medium 1 and Medium 2, respectively.
Common mistakes
- 1.assuming that the speed of light is the same in both media
- 2.not using Snell's law to relate the angles of incidence and refraction
Analysis and explanation
The question requires the student to analyze the path of a ray of light going from Medium 1 to Medium 2 and determine which medium has a higher speed of light. The student must also explain why the refracted ray bends away from the normal and express the refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 in terms of the speed of light in both media.
Interesting facts
The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second.
The refractive index of a medium is a measure of how much it bends light.
Question details
Q24 of 39 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 10
- Subject
- Science
- Year
- 2025
- Section
- Section B
- Marks
- 2
- Type
- Very Short Answer
- Chapter
- Chemical Reactions and Equations
- Topic
- Refraction of Light
- Bloom's level
- Knowledge
- Syllabus topic
- Refraction of Light
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Frequently asked questions
How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2025?
This question carries 2 marks in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2025 examination.
Which chapter does this question come from in Science?
This question is from the chapter "Chemical Reactions and Equations" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.
What topic does this question cover in Science?
This question covers the topic "Refraction of Light" from CBSE Class 10 Science.
What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2025 paper?
This is a Very Short Answer question from Section B in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2025 paper.