Question 1

Which of the following best describes specular reflection?

Accepted Answer

Reflection by a flat smooth object.

Question 2

What is diffuse reflection?

Accepted Answer

Reflection by a surface with tiny irregularities that cause the reflected rays to leave in many random directions.

Question 3

A paraxial ray is:

Accepted Answer

A ray that moves nearly parallel to the optical axis.

Question 4

A light beam has speed $$c in $$vacuum and speed $$v in a $$certain plastic. The index of refraction $$n of $$this plastic is:

Accepted Answer

$$n = c / v$$

Question 5

If the index of refraction of a material is 2, this means light travels:

Accepted Answer

2 times as fast in vacuum as it does in the material.

Question 6

A virtual image is:

Accepted Answer

A point from which rays appear to diverge.

Question 7

Snell's Law describes the relationship between the angles and indices of refraction when light passes from one medium to another. Which equation correctly represents Snell's Law?

Accepted Answer

$$n_1$$ \sin \$$theta_1$$ = $$n_2$$ \sin \$$theta_2$$

Question 8

Total internal reflection occurs when:

Accepted Answer

Light passes from a medium with a higher index of refraction to a lower index of refraction and the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle.

Question 9

Which device uses the principle of total internal reflection to transmit light over long distances, even when bent?

Accepted Answer

Fiber optic cable

Question 10

The focal length $$f of a $$spherical mirror is related to its radius of curvature $$R by$$:

Accepted Answer

$$f = R / 2$$

Question 11

Which statement about images formed by a concave mirror is correct?

Accepted Answer

An object between the focal point and the center of curvature produces a real, inverted, and magnified image.

Question 12

For a convex mirror, the image is always:

Accepted Answer

Virtual, upright, and smaller.

Question 13

The mirror equation relates object distance $$d_o$$, image distance $$d_i$$, and focal length $$f as$$:

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{d_o} + \frac{1}{d_i}$$

Question 14

The magnification $$m of a $$mirror or lens is given by:

Accepted Answer

$$m = \frac{h_i}{h_o}$$

Question 15

A converging lens is thicker in the center than at the edges. What is the focal length of a converging lens?

Accepted Answer

The distance at which parallel light rays are focused.

Question 16

The power $$P of a $$lens is defined as:

Accepted Answer

$$P = 1 / f$$

Question 17

Which of the following is true for a diverging lens?

Accepted Answer

It spreads incoming rays so they appear to come from a point.

Question 18

The thin lens equation is:

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{d_o} + \frac{1}{d_i}$$

Question 19

The lensmaker’s equation relates the focal length $$f of a $$lens to its radii of curvature $$R_1$$, $$R_2$$ and index of refraction $$n as$$:

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{1}{f} = (n-1) \left( \frac{1}{R_1$} - \frac{1}{R_2$} \right)$$

Question 20

In a compound lens system, the image formed by the first lens:

Accepted Answer

Becomes the object for the second lens.

Geometric Optics: Reflection, Refraction, and Lenses (Phys 332, Chapter 23)

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