Ray Optics: Class 12 Previous Year Questions

Ray Optics questions asked in CBSE board exams

Repeated questions first. Open the free app to see each question as it appeared in the paper, with its marking scheme.

1. (a) Using the relation for refraction at a curved spherical surface, derive the expression for lens maker’s formula. 5 (b) Three lenses L1, L2 and L3, each of focal length 40 cm, are placed coaxially. The distance between L1 and L2 and between L2 and L3 are 12…
   Board 20265 markslong answer
2. A concave lens of focal length 10 cm is cut into two identical plano-concave lenses. The focal length of each lens will be 1 (A) 20 cm (B) 30 cm (C) 40 cm (D) 5 cm
   Board 20261 markMCQ
3.  30. In an experiment with convex lens of focal length f, the screen is fixed at a distance D from the object. A student slowly moves the lens away from the object towards the screen and finds that she is able to form sharp image of the object for two positio…
   Board 20264 marksshort answer
4. (a) Draw the ray diagram to show the image formation by a refracting telescope and write the expression for angular magnification for the telescope in normal adjustment. (b) Give two reasons to explain why a reflecting telescope is preferred over a refracting …
   Board 20263 marksshort answer
5. (a) State the two conditions under which total internal reflection occurs. 3 (b) A transparent container contains layers of three immiscible transparent liquids A, B and C of refractive indices n, 3 4 n and 2 3 n, respectively. A laser beam is incident at the …
   Board 20263 marksshort answer
6.  19. A ray of light in air is incident at angle i on a face of an equilateral glass prism and is refracted through the prism. As i is varied, it is observed that the ray undergoes minimum deviation, when the i is three-fourth of the angle of the prism. Cal…
   Board 20262 marksshort answer
7. Two concave lenses A and B, each of focal length 8.0 cm are arranged coaxially 16 cm apart as shown in figure. An object P is placed at a distance of 4.0 cm from A. Find the position and nature of the final image formed.
   Board 20252 marksshort answer
8. A thin lens is a transparent optical medium bounded by two surfaces, at least one of which should be spherical. Applying the formula for image formation by a single spherical surface successively at the two surfaces of a lens, one can obtain the lens maker for…
   Board 20254 marksshort answer
9. ( ) ( ) y 26. (a) When a parallel beam of light enters water surface obliquely at some angle, what is the effect on the width of the beam ? (b) With the help of a ray diagram, show that a straw appears bent when it is partly dipped in water and explain it. (c)…
   Board 20253 marksshort answer
10. A transparent solid cylindrical rod (refractive index ) is kept in air. A V3 ray of light incident on its face travels along the surface of the rod, as shown in figure. Calculate the angle 0.
    Board 20252 marksshort answer
11. Assertion (A) : Plane and convex mirrors cannot produce real images under any circumstance. Reason (R) : A virtual image cannot serve as an object to produce a real image. IÊS> I
    Board 20241 markAssertion-Reason
12. Assertion (A) : The magnifying power of a compound microscope is negative. Reason (R) : The final image formed is erect with respect to the object.
    Board 20241 markAssertion-Reason
13. l. In the given figure the radius of curvature of curved face in the plano- convex and the plano-concave lens is 15 cm each. The refractive index of formed. 20 cm
    Board 20232 marksshort answer
14. (a) (i) State Huygen's principle. With the help of a diagram, show how a plane wave is reflected from a surface. Hence verify the law of reflection. (i) A concave mirror of focal length 12 cm forms a three times magnified virtual image of an object. Find the d…
    Board 20235 markslong answer
15. Define critical angle for a given pair of media and total internal reflection. Obtain the relation between the critical angle and refractive index of the medium.
    Board 20233 marksshort answer
16. (H$) hmBJ|g {gÕmÝV H$m Cn`moJ H$aHo$ {H$gr g_Vb Va§J H$m {H$gr Xmo _mÜ`_m| H$mo n¥WH$ H$aZo dmbo g_Vb n¥îR> na AndV©Z Xem©Zo dmbm {H$aU AmaoI It{ME & AndV©Z Ho$ ñZob Ho$ {Z`_ H$m gË`mnZ ^r H$s{OE & 2 AWdm (I) AndVu XÿaXe©H$ H$s VwbZm _| namdVu XÿaXe©H$ H$mo àm…
    Board 20232 marksAssertion-Reason
17. (H$) nyU© AmÝV[aH$ namdV©Z Ho$ {bE Amdí`H$ eV] {b{IE & (I) H$moB© Q>§H$s {H$gr nmaXeu Ðd go D±$MmB© VH$ ^ar h¡ ~m±YH$a Bg Q>§H$s -Yrao Ðd Ho$ ^rVa Q>§H$s H$s gVh H$mo Ny>Zo VH$ Sw>~mo ^Þ JhamB`m| H$s pñW{V`m| Ho$ VXZwê$n CgH$s Am^mgr JhamB© {ZYm©[aV H$s JB© h¡…
    Board 20221 markvery short
18. H$m±M ( = 1·5) Ho$ ~Zo {H$gr A{^gmar b|g Ho$ Jmobr` \$bH$m| H$s dH«$Vm {ÌÁ`mE± 10 cm Am¡a 20 cm h¢ & (H$) dm`w _| Bg b|g H$s \$moH$g Xÿar kmV H$s{OE & (I) O~ `h b|g AndV©Zm§H$ 1·25 Ho$ {H$gr Ðd _| Sy>~m h¡ Vmo BgH$s \$moH$g Xÿar kmV H$s{OE &
    Board 20221 markvery short
19. (a) (i) Monochromatic light is incident on a surface separating two media. The frequency of the light after refraction remains unaffected but its wavelength changes. Why ? (i) The frequency of an electromagnetic radiation is 1.0 × 1oll Hz. Identify the radiati…
    Board 20221 markMCQ
20. {H$gr hmBS´>moOZ na_mUw H$s àW_ CÎmo{OV AdñWm _| D$Om© 3·4 eV h¡ & kmV H$s{OE : (H$) H$jm H$s {ÌÁ`m & (~moa {ÌÁ`m = 0·53 Å br{OE) (I) & (J) ©E± & 3 7 5. (a) State the conditions for total internal reflection to take place. (b) suspended by a thread in the liqu…
    Board 20221 markMCQ

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