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Refraction of Light at spherical surfaces: Lenses

ICSE · Class 12 · Physics

Flashcards for Refraction of Light at spherical surfaces: Lenses — ICSE Class 12 Physics. Quick Q&A cards covering key concepts, definitions, and formulas.

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32 Flashcards
Card 1Sign convention

State the coordinate geometry sign convention used for lenses and spherical refracting surfaces.

Answer

Origin: optical centre. Principal axis: X-axis. Distances to the right of the optical centre are positive. Distances to the left are negative. Distances upward from the principal axis are positive. Di

Card 2Refraction at spherical surface

A spherical refracting surface separates a rarer medium of refractive index n1 from a denser medium of refractive index n2. State the refraction formula.

Answer

Refraction at spherical surface: n2/v - n1/u = (n2 - n1)/R. Here n1 is the refractive index of the rarer medium, n2 is the refractive index of the denser medium, u is object distance, v is image dista

Card 3Refraction at spherical surface

A spherical refracting surface has relative refractive index n = n2/n1. State the simplified formula.

Answer

Refraction at spherical surface using relative index: n/v - 1/u = (n - 1)/R. Here n = n2/n1.

Card 4Concave spherical surface image nature

Why does a concave spherical refracting surface always form a virtual image for an object in the rarer medium?

Answer

For a concave surface, R is negative. Using n2/v - n1/u = (n2 - n1)/R, the image distance v also comes out negative for negative u. So the image forms in the first medium and is virtual. The image poi

Card 5Convex spherical surface image nature

Why does a convex spherical refracting surface form a real image for an object in the rarer medium?

Answer

For a convex surface, R is positive. The refracted rays actually meet on the other side of the surface, so the image is real. For small aperture, all rays from the object meet at the same point I.

Card 6Numerical on spherical refraction

An object lies in the rarer medium with n1 = 1, n2 = 1.5, u = -30 cm, and R = +20 cm. Find the image distance v for a spherical surface.

Answer

Given: n1 = 1, n2 = 1.5, u = -30 cm, R = +20 cm. Formula: n2/v - n1/u = (n2 - n1)/R. Substitute: 1.5/v - 1/(-30) = (1.5 - 1)/20. So, 1.5/v + 1/30 = 0.5/20 = 1/40. 1.5/v = 1/40 - 1/30 = (3 - 4)/120 = -

Card 7Power of spherical surface

State the power of a refracting spherical surface and explain the sign idea briefly.

Answer

Power of a refracting spherical surface = (n2 - n1)/R. A larger value means greater deviation of rays. The sign depends on the sign of R and on whether refraction is from rarer to denser or denser to

Card 8Focus of a lens

What is the first focus of a lens?

Answer

The first focus is the point on the principal axis from which rays start in a convex lens, or towards which rays appear to go in a concave lens, so that after refraction they emerge parallel to the pr

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What are the important topics in Refraction of Light at spherical surfaces: Lenses for ICSE Class 12 Physics?
Key topics in Refraction of Light at spherical surfaces: Lenses include Chapter Overview: Refraction at Spherical Surfaces and Lenses, Flowchart showing the coordinate geometry sign convention for measuring distances in lens optics, Flowchart showing the selection and application of refraction formula based on object position. These are the concepts ICSE Class 12 examiners draw on most — study them first, then practise related questions.
How to score full marks in Refraction of Light at spherical surfaces: Lenses — ICSE Class 12 Physics?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 39 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly, and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.
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There are 32 flashcards for Refraction of Light at spherical surfaces: Lenses covering key definitions, formulas, and concepts. Use them daily for 10–15 minutes for best results.

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